Exclusive: UK supermarkets may cut services to stay open as coronavirus spreads - sources

Reuters ^ | March 16, 2020 | by James Davey, William James

[Oldeconomybuyer]

LONDON - Britain’s major supermarkets are working on plans to streamline their operations by cutting cafes, counters and other services to enable a depleted workforce to maintain basic provisions during the coronavirus outbreak, industry sources told Reuters.

The country’s supermarket sector, including market leader Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Morrisons, has struggled for over a week to keep shelves stocked as shoppers panic buy items like dried pasta, canned food, flour, toilet rolls and hand sanitizer.

But executives are now working on plans to keep the stores running if large numbers of their staff become ill or if the outbreak forces the closure of schools, which would escalate workers’ child care needs.

“What (products) we can and can’t get is the least of our current challenges,” one UK supermarket executive told Reuters.

The person said far more pressing problems were how the business staffs its stores and how it practically helps the elderly and vulnerable when the virus takes hold of the UK population.

Another source at a UK supermarket group said planning was focused on “What would it take to keep the store running?”

The source said this could involve having a much more streamlined operation in individual stores, keeping them running with less staff.

Options could include temporarily closing in-store cafes and fresh food counters.

The industry says it is working closely with government and suppliers to keep food moving through the system and is making more deliveries to stores to get shelves re-stocked. But it has also appealed to customers to be more considerate.

[RummyChick]

This is for the safety of their staff and customers..and I am not talking the virus

People swarm when items are being stocked even as the pallets are moving. LIke it is a Black Friday sale at Walmart

[Vigilanteman]

Mt daughter is working double shifts as shift manager of a pick-up service for a major grocery chain. Fortunately, it isn't Wal-Mart, but everybody suddenly wants to pick up their groceries without going into the store.

We are seriously thinking about flying Mrs. Vigilanteman out to be a live-in baby sitter as the other grandparents are about a 20 minute drive away and my daughter doesn't need to add an extra hour or more to her day getting them ready, dropping off the kiddies and picking them up.

[RummyChick]

Dont see it letting up in the next two weeks....but just be prepared that flights could get grounded.

Have no idea the chances of that...but it could happen

Prepare accordingly