Truck protests spark supply crisis in Naples, crippling supermarkets, fuel stations and hospitals

Protests by transporters in southern Italy over higher diesel costs have escalated into a major supply emergency in Naples. Shelves in supermarkets are empty of staples such as milk, eggs, flour and fresh produce, and many petrol stations have run out of fuel, causing long queues. Medical care is jeopardised, with dialysis patients struggling to reach clinics and ambulance fuel supplies projected to last just three days.

The prefecture is escorting over 500 trucks with food, medicine, oxygen and fuel, while the city’s two main universities have moved to remote teaching. Mayor Gaetano Manfredi has urged municipal workers to work from home, and waste collection may be delayed as the municipal waste firm ASIA Napoli asks residents to cut waste. The national government, led by Giorgia Meloni, approved a decree offering tax relief to transporters, yet blockades persist, and Transport Deputy Minister Edoardo Rixi warned of further action if they continue.