Bakers Basco has intensified its recovery and enforcement efforts in response to widespread misuse of its Omega baskets and dollies in Northern Ireland.
The membership scheme, which recovered over 2,900 pieces of bakery equipment in the region last year, has seen a recent operation conducted by its investigations team earlier this month retrieve an additional 2,000 items from multiple Northern Irish businesses.
More than £10,000 in charges were also issued to companies for unauthorised use of the baskets and dollies for bakery deliveries, impacting multiple retailers in Dundonald, Garvagh, Ballymena and Carrickfergus.
Bakers Basco was founded in 2006 by the UK’s five biggest plant bakeries – Allied Bakeries, Fine Lady Bakeries, Frank Roberts & Sons, Hovis, and Warburtons – and has since been working closely with retailers, wholesales, and supply chain partners to curb losses and prevent disruption. It manages a pool of around five million reusable Omega baskets and 500,000 dollies, with each piece able to be recycled up to 400 times before reaching the end of its lifecycle.
“The misuse of our equipment is not just a financial burden, it disrupts the entire supply chain, causing unnecessary delays and inefficiencies for the very businesses we aim to support,” commented Stacey Brown, national investigations manager at Bakers Basco. “Our increased enforcement efforts are essential in protecting our resources and ensuring that bakery equipment is available for its intended use – transporting bread efficiently and securely across Northern Ireland and the UK.”
Bakers Basco noted that its investment in GPS tracking technology has been a crucial factor in the success of its recovery operations. By monitoring equipment movements, the team has been able to pinpoint misuse hotspots, trace missing assets, and take swift action – it recently increased its deployment of tracker devices by 42% in the Midlands.
In addition, the organisation has launched targeted awareness campaigns to educate businesses about the correct handling and return of bakery equipment, and has held regular audits, driver briefings (such as at Warburtons last November) and cross-team coordination to deliver significant improvements.
Looking ahead, Bakers Basco said it will continue to engage with businesses found misusing equipment and take firm legal action where necessary. It is also urging shareholders and supply chain partners to ensure that all equipment usage is reported accurately to mitigate further losses.
“This is an industry-wide issue that requires a collective effort to resolve,” added Brown. “By continuing to drive awareness, technology investment and enforcing responsible usage, we can protect the bakery supply chain and ensure that essential equipment remains where it’s needed most.”
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