YODEL’S recent delivery problems indicate the strain that the logistics industry is under at this time of year.

In the region Hermes, now based at Omega and Eddie Stobart currently face their largest peak workload.

The Brakes Group also at Omega and dealing with catering supplies has particular challenges in keeping items fresh and the people fed.

Logistics firms currently face risks such as seasonal labour shortages (drivers for example are in very short supply) and adverse weather conditions disrupting operations.

A previous threat to the industry has been in the rising cost of fuel, but motorists will have noticed that prices have in fact fallen recently with the reducing world price of oil.

Cheaper fuel should mean cheaper products on the shelves, as retailers will be looking to benefit from the savings, passing a little on to consumers to stay competitive.

However world demand for energy continues to rise, particularly in countries such as China.

The energy hungry USA has, for the moment, found a partial solution.

Shale gas has controlled overall energy costs and boosted their economy.

Fracking carries some risk and history is full of parallel lessons, e.g. from mining. There appears to be a choice then. Benefit and risk or neither?

Lawrence Bellamy is associate dean at the University of Chester's Padgate campus and writes a regular column for the business pages.