Swiss retailers Digitec Galaxus, Migros and Manor have warned of empty shelves during the Christmas holidays in Switzerland, with supply chain problems in China causing shortages as the country heads into winter.
20 minuten reported that a series of crises in China are causing the global supply chain to slow down, with many international companies struggling to import goods. In the words of Matthias Geissbühler, Chief Investment Office at Raiffeisen Switzerland, China is the “engine of growth and the workbench of the world”, meaning if China struggles, the world struggles as well.
Now, several large Swiss businesses have warned that the current supply issues may affect the Christmas season. A spokesperson from Digitec Galaxus, a popular technology store, said that a shortage in Chinese-made graphics cards and computer chips earlier in the year had significantly hindered supply across Europe, and predicted that this trend would only continue.
Digitec Galaxus recommended that customers get their Christmas shopping done early to cope with the expected shortages. The spokesperson said the supply chain issue had extended to entrepreneurs as well as private customers, with many large companies still waiting for devices from abroad. More recently, there have been shortages of vacuum cleaners, coffee machines, bicycle parts, and a “massive price increase” in wood.
Despite the shortages in technology, a spokesperson for Manor reassured customers that fashion and toys had been given the “all clear.” They said that “Christmas will not be ruined because of delivery problems,” but conceded customers may have to be prepared to change their present ideas in line with what is available.