Trucker protest leaves supermarket shelves bare in Naples
Truck drivers protesting high diesel costs blocked food and goods deliveries near Naples, leaving some supermarket shelves and gas pumps empty. The disruption…
Truck drivers protesting high diesel costs blocked deliveries to distribution warehouses near Naples, leaving some supermarket shelves and gas pumps empty in the southern Italian city on Tuesday. The week-long action is disrupting supplies of food and other goods as the Iran war drives fuel costs higher.
The effect is already visible to shoppers. One supermarket posted an apology saying “some products may be temporarily unavailable or available in a reduced range.”
Sky TG24 reported that protesters blocked the loading and unloading of fresh food and other goods at warehouses near Naples on Monday. The protest has also drawn attention to the costs facing Italy’s trucking industry, with drivers joining demonstrations that have spread across Europe as the war disrupts economies.
Shortages have been reported beyond Naples. In Sicily, fresh pasta, packaged cheeses and meats, along with produce, have been affected, partly because shoppers have been stockpiling. Partially empty supermarket shelves were also reported in Calabria and Puglia.
Diesel costs fuel protest
Diesel prices are roughly a third higher than before the Iran war, despite government-backed efforts to curb pump prices. A temporary diesel tax discount expired earlier this month, adding to pressure on truck operators already facing higher running costs.
The supply disruption reaches beyond the drivers’ balance sheets. When trucks cannot move goods from distribution warehouses, supermarkets have less fresh food and other products to put on shelves. In Naples, consumers are already seeing reduced availability; reports of stockpiling in Sicily point to another pressure on supplies.
Transport Minister Matteo Salvini met national trucking associations on Tuesday to discuss assistance. He promised tax credits to offset soaring diesel prices and funds to modernize trucking fees.
Paolo Uggè, president of the Unatras group of trucking associations, said Salvini promised payments would begin Wednesday and pledged legislation addressing operating costs, LaPresse reported. The parties set another meeting for next week.
The protest follows a week of action by truck drivers over the cost of diesel. For now, the reported shortages span Naples, Sicily, Calabria and Puglia, while the government’s temporary diesel tax discount has expired.
Source: abcnews.com
