Tag: retail

Key Worker status: Usdaw appeals to local authorities

Retail trade union Usdaw has written to the Scottish Government THREE TIMES urging them to clarify that workers in the food and pharmaceutical supply chains are defined as key workers and therefore able to access school childcare provision. 

The union has not received the necessary clarity, so has written to all Scottish local authority leaders directly, pleading with them to allow retail and pharmaceutical workers to make use of the much needed services schools offer, to enable them to go into work and provide the essential services we all rely on.

Stewart Forrest,Usdaw Divisional Officer for Scotland, said: “Usdaw is extremely disappointed with the guidance issued by the Scottish Government on Friday regarding school closures.

“In the rest of the UK, the essential role of food and pharmaceutical workers has been recognised, with these workers rightly prioritised for childcare provision.  This has not been made clear in the guidance for Scotland.

“There is an extraordinary effort being undertaken by workers throughout the supply chain, to keep Scotland fed.  The supply of food and medicine is always an essential service, now more than ever. There should be no question whatsoever that our members in these roles are essential workers and that they need to be prioritised.

“It is very disappointing that we have been forced to write to local authority leaders directly, but we will not let this rest until our members, who are doing essential work in very difficult circumstances, have the correct support that they desperately need.”

Co-op to donate to donate £1.5m worth of food to FareShare

Convenience retailer Co-op has announced that from next week, it will be donating £1.5 million worth of food to FareShare, in a show of co-operation to help boost stocks, support local communities and those citizens who are struggling amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

FareShare – the UK’s largest hunger fighting charity – supports over 11,000 charities and community groups, including food banks and Co-op has pledged £1.5 million of essential food products which will be split amongst FareShare’s 23 regional centres, and then supplied to a network of local community groups across the country.

Food banks have seen a significant drop in donations as the Coronavirus takes hold, but it is in these times of national crisis that they remain a lifeline for those who rely on the donations to feed their families. Demand is only set to grow as the number of people who unexpectedly find themselves out of work increases.

Jo Whitfield, CEO, Co-op Food, said: “The Co-op has a critical role to play in supporting our members, customers and colleagues, as well as the local communities that our stores sit at the heart of.

“Food banks have never been more important, so it makes sense that we provide support to help FareShare keep people fed and watered during this unprecedented time.

“Co-op already supports around 1,500 local community groups with our national food redistribution programme, Food Share, and we know that they are finding it tough at the moment, so I’m really pleased and proud we can provide FareShare directly with the essential products they need to help our communities.

“It’s a great example of us all cooperating and pulling together to help those most in need and I would ask everybody if they can, to contribute to a food bank near to them. Every tin, jar or carton makes a difference.”

Lindsay Boswell, CEO FareShare, said “At this time of huge uncertainty, we all need to pull together to help those most vulnerable and most affected by the issues caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

“The very generous support of £1.5 million worth of food from the Co-op will enable the FareShare network to maintain a continued vital food supply line into our charities over a prolonged period of ten weeks, providing great reassurance that there will be a baseload of food provided to the 11,000 charities and community groups that FareShare and our partners support every week across the UK.”

Co-op have also announced today they will be prioritising more vulnerable customers and those who care for them, during the hours of 8am to 9am Monday – Saturday /10am to 11am on Sundays. As a local convenience retailer, Co-op is uniquely positioned to serve these customers.

Jo Whitfield, CEO, Co-op Food said: “I would like to thank our customers for their ongoing support as we all pull together during these unprecedented times.

“We won’t close our Co-op to other customers during this hour, but I would ask for their understanding as we prioritise the needs of our most vulnerable customers and the amazing people who look after and care for them.”

Earlier this week the Co-op also announced measures to combat holiday hunger in pupils caused by unplanned school closures. 6,500 students across 25 Co-op Academy Schools who currently have free school meals, will be given a £20 voucher for every week that schools remain shut.

Coronavirus: Morrisons introduces new measures

Morrisons has set out a number of measures to support colleagues and customers during the Coronavirus outbreak.

As a British family business, Morrisons will do its bit during the emergency and today sets out a plan to protect and help colleagues and expand home delivery to many more households at a time of national need. In doing so, Morrisons will create an extra 3,500 jobs.

These measures follow on from Morrisons announcement last week that it would be implementing immediate payments for its smaller suppliers, supporting their cashflow during this very difficult time for the British economy.

The key elements of the plan announced yesterday are:

  • Colleague hardship fund – to support colleagues who are in financial difficulty as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak we will create a colleague hardship fund. Colleagues will be able to apply for funds if they experience a financial setback and are struggling to make ends meet.
  • Helping colleagues – Morrisons colleagues are very highly valued and the company is introducing the following measures if they are affected:
    * Those who are sick with the Coronavirus will receive sick pay whether or not they would normally be eligible.
    * Colleagues who are affected either because of self isolation, or by playing their part in looking after close family members or the vulnerable in their local community, will also be eligible for sick pay, alternative shifts or holiday.
  • Protecting colleagues – Morrisons will protect highly valued colleagues by:
    * Asking customers at the checkout to pay, if possible, by card or smartphone to reduce cash handling.
    * Issuing hand sanitiser to checkouts at all stores and significantly increasing cleaning on places that colleagues and customers touch.
    * Redeploying colleagues who are vulnerable to the virus, where possible.
  • Expanding home delivery – Morrisons is to introduce new ways of delivering groceries and more slots for customers, which will also help vulnerable people and those affected by the virus. New measures include:
    * Launching a new range of simple-to-order food parcels, including options for vegetarians, from March 23rd.
    * Making more delivery slots available to customers both through Morrisons.com and the Morrisons Store on Amazon Prime Now. Morrisons will use 100 further stores to pick customers’ shopping over the coming weeks.
    * Launching a customer call centre for orders to be taken over the phone so that people who do not shop online can still order food.
    * To support the roll-out of these expanded home delivery methods, Morrisons will be recruiting around 2,500 pickers and drivers.
  • New Jobs – The outbreak of coronavirus will affect businesses across the UK and Morrisons will be offering jobs to people that are impacted. In addition to around 2,500 pickers and drivers to expand home delivery, Morrisons will be recruiting around 1,000 people to work in the company’s distribution centres. The vacancies will be advertised through a campaign on radio and social media and the Morrisons jobs website morrisons.jobs

David Potts, Chief Executive of Morrisons, said: “We expect the days, weeks and months ahead to be very testing and we are determined to do our bit.

“These measures will support our very hard-working colleagues, enable us to provide more food to more people in their homes and create opportunities for people whose jobs are affected by the coronavirus.”

Surviving the January sales

New Year bargain hunters have been given 11 top tips for grabbing the best deals in the sales.

Making a list before hitting the shops, using cash instead of cards and shopping on a full tummy are among the tips from the shopping experts at NetVoucherCodes.co.uk.

They say by following a few simple rules shoppers could grab some great deals, but a few false moves and those bargains may not look quite so good later in the day.

Simple tips like planning ahead, questioning whether the item is really needed and taking regular stops to refuel are among the advice given.

A spokesperson from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: “Keeping a clear head when shopping is important so you don’t get sucked into fake bargains.

“You want to make sure your shopping trip is enjoyable and satisfying, there’s nothing worse than coming home feeling exhausted, regretting your buys and broke after a long day.

“Many shoppers don’t end up coming home with exactly what they set out to get, so we’ve compiled a list of the best tips for a smooth, satisfying shopping experience so that you can enjoy the New Year’s sales and grab yourself some real bargains.”

Here are NetVoucherCodes.co.uk top sales shopping tips:

1. Check opening times

Before you head off sales shopping, check the opening times. Some stores open much earlier than others. Leave it until mid-morning and you may miss the best of the bargains.

2. Cash NOT card

Avoid using debit or credit cards – it’s far too easy to get carried away with them. Instead, withdraw a maximum spending value in cash. This is more likely to curb spending and help you avoid impulse buying.

3. Fill up

Make sure you have a decent breakfast before you head out shopping so you’re full of energy and ready to make a strong start. Make sure you refuel throughout the day.

4. Use public transport

Rather than battle for a parking space, take the train or bus when you head out shopping. It’ll be cheaper, easier and you won’t have the stress of fighting the crowds to get a space.

5. Do I really need it?

Before you buy, question whether you really need the item. It may have 50% off but if it’s just going to sit in a cupboard or in your wardrobe, then it’s a complete waste of money.

6. Make a plan of attack

There’s nothing wrong with doing a little forward planning to help save time and stress. Make a wish list of what you really want by having a browse online.

7. Bag up

Take plenty of big sturdy bags to help you carry your shopping load. There’s nothing worse than having lots of small plastic bag handles cutting into your forearms and fingers all day.

8. Don’t worry about other shoppers

Don’t get carried away with the crowds, if you have your goals in mind – ensure you stay on track, otherwise you may end up not finishing what you set out to do before closing time.

9. Have a breather

Take regular breaks to collect yourself, stay fed and hydrated and use these little stops to remind yourself of your wish list.

10. Learn the returns

Make sure you have a handle on the returns policy and check if you can return before you purchase.

11. Don’t get roped in

Sales are a great opportunity for many shops to rope customers into signing up to sneaky credit card schemes. These encourage over-spending and what they don’t tell you is that you’ll still be paying for the items months after buying them. THINK before you sign.

Scottish Retail Consortium and Usdaw unite to discuss the state of Scotland’s high streets

Shopworkers’ trade union Usdaw has met with the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) to discuss the ongoing and growing crisis on Scotland’s high streets. Both organisations agreed that there is an urgent need for government action and an industrial strategy for retail. Continue reading Scottish Retail Consortium and Usdaw unite to discuss the state of Scotland’s high streets

Bright Lights at Fort Kinnaird

A group of Edinburgh and Lothian residents were congratulated by Lord Provost Frank Ross, Fort Kinnaird centre director Liam Smith and Recruitment and Skills Centre Business Development Manager John Gibson, after completing a five-week training course to help build a career in retail. Continue reading Bright Lights at Fort Kinnaird