UK’s Sainsbury’s in contact with government over Red Sea disruption

LONDON, Jan 10 (Reuters) – Sainsbury’s is in regular contact with the UK government about the disruption to shipping in the Red Sea, the supermarket group said on Wednesday, in a sign of the nervousness of major importers about securing supplies. Sainsbury’s, Britain’s second largest grocer after Tesco , owns a large general merchandise business, Argos, and also sells clothing. Most of its general merchandise products are imported. Global shipping firms are avoiding the Red Sea, and so the fastest shipping route between Asia and Europe through the Suez Canal, due to attacks on vessels by the Iran-backed Houthi militant group. They are diverting ships around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, adding two weeks to journey times and extra costs.…