The purpose of this study is to investigate how the COVID-19 crisis affected delivery security and firms’ preparedness and responses in Norway. Investigations focus on supply chains which were critical for maintaining the supply of essential goods when large parts of society closed down. This includes four firms belonging to food and pharmaceutical industries, representing different parts of the respective supply chains, and covering imports, exports, domestic distribution, and home-delivery services.

Purpose – This paper aims to report on the efforts of a wholesaler in overcoming one of the main barriers to successful marketing channels – namely the “transparency problem”. Design/methodology/approach – A decision-support tool that is capable of providing detailed cost-analysis of transportation arrangements is developed and applied within the context of an action research project set up to improve information exchange of sensitive information between a shipper and two carriers in a Norwegian grocery supply chain. Findings – The study finds that the application of the decision-support tool is associated with: a transition from arm's-length transactional relationships to integrated collaborative relationships; enhanced communication and trust between the parties; and substantial savings in distribution costs. Research limitations/implications – Action research methodology confined to a single shipper and two carriers limits the confidence with which the findings can be generalised; future studies should formally test the effects of communication and trust on integration. Practical implications – The study provides practical suggestions for achieving mutual benefits from closer collaboration between buyers and suppliers of transportation services. Originality/value – The study extends knowledge of how to achieve integrated supply-chain relationships in practice through the utilisation of a new and comprehensive decision-support tool.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and application of a valuable decision support tool to ensure appropriate pricing of transportation services in the wholesale grocery industry. The impetus for the development of this tool was the recognition that enterprise resource planning systems typically lack data on transportation issues, which means that cost-based pricing is difficult, if not impossible. To address this problem, an MS Excel spreadsheet was developed as a measurement tool over a period of 9 years in close co-operation with providers and buyers of transportation services in Norway. All cost drivers, including loading time, waiting time, speed etc. are included. This paper explains the components of the measurement tool and provides examples of its application. The study concludes that detailed cost analysis and a continuous focus on productivity and risk factors can generate mutually beneficial transportation arrangements between shippers and carriers.

This research compares the environmental impact, in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, of using refillable polyethylene terephthalate (REF-PET) and non-refillable polyethylene terephthalate (NR-PET) bottles in the Norwegian soft drink and carbonated water market. A Microsoft Excel spread sheet was developed in close cooperation with Coca-Cola, Mack, Telemark Springwater, and three of the main food wholesalers in Norway: NorgesGruppen, Coop, and Rema. While academic writers have criticised such life-cycle analysis as impractical, too time-consuming, expensive, and demanding too much effort, and instead advocated qualitative evaluation methods, this project demonstrates that a data-based approach is fully feasible. The research team identifies the CO