COVID-19 latest news from around the world

In this regularly updated article, we summarise the latest responses to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic from discounters in the UK; Latest update Monday 6th April Aldi The elderly and most vulnerable will have exclusive access to stores for 30 minutes browsing time before they open, from Monday to Saturday. They can then purchase items as the stores open to the general public B...

In this article, updated daily, we summarise the latest responses to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK: Market update: GB grocery market sees fastest growth on record. Market growth for the 12 weeks to 22 March was +7.6%, the fastest rate in over a decade, according to Kantar. The rapid growth was driven by a 20.6% surge in sales over the last four weeks. . More details ...

Only 10 days since we reported that the majority of the UK’s restaurant and food-to-go chains were closing all operations, some have now re-opened their kitchens to launch new services.   Although the logistics are complex, there are benefits to remaining operational in some way: Offering services that support key workers and the vulnerable can boost staff morale, build ties with the loc...

The Consumer Goods Forum held a special webinar and invited Walmart China’s C-level executives to share the actions they took to overcome the challenges they have faced since the outbreak of coronavirus in the country three months ago. The in-depth discussion covered many areas of business, including retail, shopper behaviour, supply chain, customer and employee health, food production, person...

To protect employees and consumers from the Coronavirus (COVID-19), retailers in Denmark, Sweden and Norway have added dedicated hygiene lines and plexiglass to the checkouts. Denmark: hygiene lines and new initiative for suppliers Coop and Salling Group have introduced distancing measures with “hygiene lines”. These are tape markings on the floor of the checkout lines that work to remind s...

On Friday 3 April Peru’s government announced its decision to close all markets, supermarkets, pharmacies and banks on upcoming Sundays, with immediate effect. Peru’s Interior Minister Carlos Morán warned the public no one should leave their home on Sundays and there are no excuses as no services will be open. This restrictive measure has been put in place to reduce the spread of coronaviru...

Asda has announced the addition of 300,000 slots to its online delivery operation, as demand for home deliveries increases due to the coronavirus pandemic. 700,000 slots a week As a result of the move, the number of delivery slots available on a weekly basis has now risen to 700,000, split evenly daily. Roger Burnley, Asda’s CEO, commented: “ We have been working around the clock to expa...

Following the move of other foodservice wholesalers to target retail sales, as the emergency shut down cuts off their core market amongst out-of-home businesses, Brakes has launched a call & collect service to sell to the general public. Initially made available from three of its distribution depots earlier this week, it has now been extended to eight sites across England. Browse online, order...

In this article we round up the latest initiatives from Aldi and Lidl UK and Ireland to address the challenges created by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.  Latest update Friday 3rd April. Aldi Implemnted a one person, one trolley rule in a bid to encourag all customers to try and reduce the number of family members they bring with them into stores Through its partnership with N...

Aeon, which operates shopping centres and hypermarkets in Malaysia, is expanding its drive-through locations to support shoppers looking to socially distance themselves and avoid interaction with others during the pandemic. Service expanded to 28 outlets Shoppers using the service can pre-order products online. Personal shoppers will collect the order in-store and prepare the items for pick...

This article looks at three ways supply chains have been flexible in overcoming some of the challenges that COVID-19 has introduced. 1.    Relaxing of legislation and regulation We have seen governments around the world temporarily relax legislation to increase the velocity of essential supplies (food and health-related items) through the supply chain. One of the first areas of legislati...

One of the leading crowd-sourced, on-demand restaurant delivery companies in the US, DoorDash, is evolving its business model to offer delivery from convenience stores. Enabling delivery of essentials from more than 1,800 stores DoorDash is partnering with several national and regional convenience store chains, including 7-Eleven, Wawa, Casey’s General Store, and Circle K. Shoppers will be ...

We look at Dollarama’s Q4 results and the impact of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic on the early part of its first quarter. Full year sales up to CA$3.8 bn The retailer’s fourth quarter sales increased by 0.5% to CA$1.1 bn, with the quarter one week shorter than in 2019. Comparable store sales increased by 2.0%, or by 3.8% excluding the impact of a calendar shift. Operating income incre...

One of the key pivots that companies have had to make quickly in response to the Coronavirus pandemic is with their marketing messages. Several companies launched eye-catching campaigns to support social distancing measures in March, with many iconic brands re-working their logos as part of similar initiatives. The new reality Beyond this, we are starting to see companies adapt their commun...

With increased pressure on pharmacies and an exceptional increase in demand for health, hygiene and personal care products, Boots continues to evolve its approach to best serve customers and communities.   Donating 200,000 essential products Building on its existing relationship with the Hygiene Bank , Boots will donate essential toiletries to hospitals during the COVID-19 crisis, with t...

Kroger has released a trading update and outlined its initial responses to COVID-19. Sales up 30% With the COVID-19 pandemic causing shoppers to stock up on groceries, Kroger has experienced a 30% increase in identical store sales for March (excl fuel), compared to the same period last year. Both its physical stores and its online services have seen growth and to support this, Kroger is mak...

Coronavirs (COVID-19) is having an unprecedented impact on the food and grocery industry, with many teams heavily involved in crisis management or supporting supply chain activities. A dichotomy is being described by many of the people we speak to, with specific teams “in the thick of it”, to ensure the country is fed, and those that for one reason or another, have a bit more time on their han...

We look at the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the performance and operations of global suppliers. Key themes Unprecedented pantry stocking has been underway in recent weeks, with elevated demand expected to continue as most meals are now being consumed at home, with snacking increasing too Companies have been able to maintain high levels of supply, although to drive ...

As the Coronavirus (COVD-19) affects more countries globally and impacts lives, there has been an increased focus on hygiene, as governments and health professional recommend regular hand washing.  In this article we look at three technologies already in existence that keep stores clean and could help reassure shoppers. Autonomous cleaning robots Walmart has the Auto-C – Autonomous Clean...

Over the last few weeks we have seen retailers implement a range of social-distancing initiatives, including floor stickers, plexiglass guards and limiting the number of shoppers in store at any one time. We consider how retailers may start to think differently about the future store experience so that they can respond at pace to any future social-distancing requirements. 1. Changes to stor...