Abstract
"Supply chain management is concerned with achieving a more cost effective satisfaction to end customer requirements"(Christopher, 2005). Logistics traditionally represent the various activities implemented to handle goods from the supplier to the final customer. Today, these activities are included in the concept of supply chain management, where the main objective is the optimization of costs and flows linked to the goods.
In this period of economic downturn, the firms understood that the international trade and the expectations of the markets have changed. Today, they have to improve their supply chain management, as they must face new issues and expectations of the markets. Firstly, the prices of goods have rocketed because of the economic crisis and the Mideast wars have created an increase of oil rates.
Then, the United Kingdom became in a decade a massive importing country and a major part of these importations come from the Far East Asia. Besides the importation forecasts show that they should more than double by 2030. Finally the populations are getting more and more concerned by the environmental issues, concerning the relief of road traffic congestion, the reduction of CO2 emissions and the way of making their lives greener through the consumption. So, in the way of creating a modern supply chain, companies have to face the pressures to reduce the costs, the demands of increased efficiency, the reduction of lead times, while keeping in mind that the environment must be protected as much as possible.
