Sadia Hussain Unit 29
M2 - Comparison of the methods used to distribute Food,
clothing and flowers.
Similarities Differences
One similarity between distributing clothing, food and flowers One difference is that after the raw materials such as wool, silk
is that the raw materials for these products are extracted and fur have turned into clothing, they are taken to the
mostly from farms. For example the wool, fur, and cotton for distribution centre, Distribution centre is a large building that
clothing items are extracted from farm animals such as wool is used for temporarily storage, which then they are sold to
from sheep, and cotton extracted from cotton flowers which the stores that need them. However food such as milk, cheese
farmers grow in farms and silk is obtained from the silkworm. and apples, after there have been processed, they go straight
Flowers can also be extracted from farms, however they are to the stores warehouses, they cannot be store sin distribution
grown in plant nurseries or greenhouses where they are kept centres till the stores need them because they will go spoiled,
in safe environments, where they make sure that the because there is usually a expiry date on the food. When the
plants/flowers are receiving everything that is required for food is taken to the stores warehouses, the staff have to check
them to grow. Food is also extracted from farms, such as the expiry date, so spoiled food does not go onto the shelfs, as
potatoes and cabbages, and milk from the cows. this can cause a lot of major issues. Some food when in the
warehouses need to be kept In the freezers to keep it fresh, if
Another similarity between foods, flowers and clothing is that it rots then it needs to be thrown away. The meat needs to be
they are sometimes distributed from other countries to the kept separate from fresh produce for health and safety
warehouses here in the UK. However fresh produce such as reasons. Flowers are sometimes taken to the distribution
tomatoes and milk are produced in the farms in the UK, which centre after being processed, and then sold to the stores who
makes them easier to transport and takes less time. However, keep them in the warehouses; the food and the flowers
some foods such as bananas and other tropical fruits such as usually arrive in the same lorry. Superstores usually have their
pineapples do come from other countries, ‘’in tropical areas own place where they grow their own fresh produce, such as
like Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. Most Tesco, in order to keep it as sustainable as possible. However
tropical fruit available in British supermarkets are exported some foods such as cereals, and drinks are also taken to the
from Latin America and West Africa.’’ but mainly the fresh distribution centres after they have been processed, where
produce is grown in the same countries in order to keep it they are held for temporally storage, before they are sold to
fresh and quick for the customers. Some flowers are also supermarkets.
distributed from other countries such as roses from France.
‘’When a pretty bouquet makes it to your door, there is a Another difference is that when distributing food and flowers,
strong probability that it is made up of roses from Kenya. They it needs to be a speedy process, because food and flowers can
will have traveled for about 72 hours, and 7,000 kilometers.’’ rot. However, clothing cannot rot so they can stay in the lorry
The flowers are cut in the country in which they are from longer. Flowers are requiring sunlight when held in the lorries;
‘’They are then transported by refrigerated truck to avoid any this is something clothing and food do not need. Flowers are
spoilage. Then, onto the airplane’’ Some fruits such as bananas fragile, they can be easily bruised and broken during
and some flowers are exported from other countries due to transportation, so it is important that when they are being
the weather and temperatures, these types of fruits and transported in a lorry, they need to be properly packed in a
followers are more likely to grow in other countries than here way so when they arrive to the destination they are in the
in the UK, which is why they have to be transported from same condition as they were before. The lorry also needs to
there. Transporting from other countries on a plane rather have air conditioning which will help keep the flowers fresh.
than on a ship is cost effective, because plane is large, it can The flowers that are cut also need to be kept in buckets of
hold a lot due to large storage and it is also quicker than ship. water, so the flowers can drink the water when being
However, some clothing items can be transported by a ship, transported. Food do need sunlight when being transported in
because clothes do not rot so it does not matter if they take a lorry, however they do need refrigeration to help keep the
some time to reach to their destination. food cold and fresh such as milk, butter and other fresh
produce. All the food such as fruits and veg need to secured
Another similarity is that clothing, food and flowers are all properly in the lorry, such as in boxes so they do not fall out.
transported in lorries to the warehouses. After extracting the The lorry should be clean moving food into it for hygiene
raw materials, the food is taken to production on lorries. purposes, the temperature in the lorry need to be right for the
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