Tag: shopping

Nearly nine in 10 Black Friday ‘deals’ same price or cheaper before the big day, says Which?

Shoppers are being urged to do their research before they part with their cash this Black Friday as a new Which? investigation reveals that the vast majority of ‘deals’ are the same price or cheaper before the day itself.

The consumer champion tracked the prices of 219 popular products advertised as ‘Black Friday deals’ across Amazon, AO.com, Argos, Currys PC World and John Lewis and found that almost nine in 10 (85%) of these so-called ‘deals’ were actually cheaper or the same price in the six months before. 

In fact, when Which? compared a year’s worth of prices for these products, which included home and tech goods such as headphones, fridge freezers and soundbars, only three (1%) out of the 219 items tracked were at their cheapest price of the year on Black Friday.

Out of the retailers Which? looked at, Currys PC World was the most likely to have its Black Friday ‘deals’ cheaper or the same price in the six months before. This was the case for 47 out of 49 (96%) products. 

John Lewis was not far behind with 70 of the 78 (90%) Black Friday deals Which? tracked cheaper or the same price ahead of time.

AO had a total of 38 out of 44 (86%) Black Friday deals included in Which?’s research cheaper or the same price before the big day.

When it came to the Black Friday deals tracked at Argos, Which? found 15 out of 18 (86%) had been cheaper or the same price in the six months before Black Friday.

Amazon came out the best out of the retailers Which? looked at but still had just over half (57%) of products analysed cheaper or the same price in the six months before Black Friday.

Among the examples, Which? found that at Currys PC World a set of Bose Quietcomfort headphones was £249 on Black Friday but had been cheaper or the same price on at least 15 occasions in the six months prior.

Which? found the same problem with a pricey De’Longhi Primadonna Coffee Machine at John Lewis. Costing £1,285 in the Black Friday sale, the machine had been at the same price or less on at least 35 occasions in the six months before, dropping to less than £1,200 on several days in May and June 2019.  

Which? also found that at AO a Zanussi fridge freezer was £549 on Black Friday but had been sold at that price on 153 days in the six months before Black Friday – 84 per cent of the time.

While many of the items tracked by Which? had been cheaper or the same price in the six months before Black Friday, price drops were even more widespread after the day itself.

This applied to almost every single product from AO, Argos, Currys PC World and John Lewis included in the analysis and nine in 10 (90%) of the products Which? tracked on Amazon.

Among the sales season duds Which? did uncover a few great deals, including some Bose Soundsport headphones on Amazon that were on sale at £45 on Black Friday 2019, half the maximum price of £90 and, according to Which? data, the cheapest price of the year.

Meanwhile at Amazon, Which? also found a bargain on a Shark Handheld Vacuum cleaner at £97 on Black Friday 2019, just over half the £180 maximum, the cheapest price of the year.

Which?’s research shows that while a handful of offers might be genuine, the vast majority of Black Friday deals are not necessarily cheaper than at other times of the year – and those who hold out a little longer will often end up paying the same price or even less.

Which? is urging shoppers to not be tempted to impulse buy this year, and to make sure they do their research to assess whether the price and quality of the product they are considering makes it the right deal for them. Even if a deal is advertised as time-sensitive, chances are it will not be the last opportunity to buy at that price.

Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services, said: “With many of us stuck at home this Black Friday it might be tempting to scour the sales for a bargain, but we’ve found that you could get the same deal – or an even better one – at another time.

“Deals that look too good to be true often are, so don’t fall for time-limited offers and if you are looking for something in particular, do some research first. That way you’ll know a genuine bargain when you see one.”

  • Which? tracked the prices of 219 popular home and tech products over the course of a year, for six months before Black Friday 2019 and six months after.
  • The below table shows the number of products tracked and whether they were the same price or cheaper before and after the sales event.
  • In August 2020, a Which? survey found that 84 per cent of respondents were not planning on buying anything this Black Friday and those who were said they were taking a more considered approach by either tracking prices of coveted items or using price comparison sites.
  • However, internet industry body IMRG last week reported that the combination of Black Friday discounts and coronavirus restrictions will make November a record-breaking month for online spending in the UK. Their report suggested that online sales were up 61 per cent in the first week of November compared with the same period last year.

Black Friday example ‘deals’

AO -Hotpoint SA2844HIX 60cm 71L Built In Electric Single Oven 

You could have bought this built-in oven for £219.99 on Black Friday at AO, but if you’d bought it in the six months prior then you might have saved yourself a tenner – it was £209.99 on at least seven days. In the six months after the sale, it was £209.99 on at least 80 days, and was cheaper or the same price for a total of 134 days after the sale.

AO – Zanussi 178Cm Integrated Frost Free Fridge Freezer ZBB28651SV:

Black Friday price was £549. It was priced at £549 on 153 days in the six months before Black Friday, and was cheaper or the same price on 46 occasions after the sale. 

Argos – GoPro Hero7 White Action Cam

This action camera was £129.99 at Argos on Black Friday, and was the same price for the week before the sale day. In February 2020, it dropped to £119 for 11 days before staying at £129.99 – the same as its Black Friday price – until at least the end of May. In total, it was cheaper or the same price as Black Friday on at least 154 days in the six months following the sale.

Currys PC World – Samsung RS50N3513S8 Freestanding American Style Fridge Freezer

Last Black Friday, the silver version of this Samsung Fridge Freezer cost £849 at Currys PC World. Prior to the sale day, it was priced at £799 on at least 15 days – meaning a saving of £50 compared to Black Friday. Following the sale, it was £849 or cheaper on at least 27 days. 

Currys PC World – Sonos Playbar Soundbar

This stylish soundbar was £649 at Currys PC World last Black Friday, but had been the same price for at least 19 days in October 2019 too. After the sale day, it was the same price or cheaper on at least 129 days – including dropping to £599 over Christmas and new year, meaning shoppers could have saved £50 by holding out a little longer. For those prepared to play the waiting game, it was priced at £499 on several occasions during April and May 2020 – a saving of £150 compared to Black Friday. 

Currys PC World- Bose Quietcomfort 35 Ii Black QC35IIB: was cheaper or the same price as Black Friday on 15 occasions in the six months prior to Black Friday, and 66 days after the sale.

John Lewis – Brother MFC-J6930DW Wireless Inkjet Printer

On Black Friday, this Brother printer was £199.99 at John Lewis. In the six months before the sale day, it had been priced at £199 on at least 79 occasions. John Lewis told us that this was due to its price matching scheme. It was cheaper or the same price on 72 days in the six months after the sale, too. 

John Lewis – The De’Longhi Primadonna Elite Experience Bean To Cup Coffee Machine

The silver version of this expensive coffee machine was £1,285 at John Lewis in the Black Friday sale, but had been at the same price or less on at least 35 occasions in the six months before. This included costing less than £1,200 on several days in May and June 2019.  

John Lewis – The Sonos Beam Compact Smart Sound Bar with Voice Control, Black, was cheaper than its Black Friday price (£399) on 71 occasions in the six months before Black Friday, dropping to £369 for 14 days in July.  It was cheaper or the same price on 184 days in the six months after the sale.

Additional useful Which? Content:

Which? Black Friday Hub – https://www.which.co.uk/news/black-friday/

How to check if your Black Friday deals are real – https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/black-friday/article/black-friday-deals-how-to-check-if-a-black-friday-deal-is-real-aKtJD2L0zJEt

15 Shopping tips to help you get a deal this Black Friday – 

https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/black-friday/article/top-15-shopping-tips-for-black-friday-deals-agwOd5D4LCzw

Amazon said: ‘We seek to offer our customers great value thanks to low prices all year round as well as a number of fantastic seasonal deals events. Our Black Friday Sale is about thousands of deals on a huge selection of products from every category across the site, at a time of year when we know saving money is important to our customers.  And the best thing about shopping online is that customers can easily compare prices, allowing them to make an informed purchase decision.’

An AO spokesperson said: ‘We offer great deals for our customers all year. Last year’s Black Friday event had over 9,000 fantastic and fair offers for customers and we expect this year to be even bigger.’

An Argos spokesperson said, ‘Our Black Friday event gives customers access to hundreds of products at their lowest ever price. They may also be part of sales and promotions we run the following year.’

A Currys PC World spokesperson said: “We have 1000s of deals in Black Friday every year, and aim to give our customers the best value with over 45% at their lowest price ever this year. Throughout the year we are also continuously price-matching and have additional sales to ensure we keep our promise of amazing tech that is affordable and accessible. Also as we are constantly looking to bring customers the latest and most innovative tech it means over time some of our older products will generally reduce in price as they are replaced by newer technology with improved features.”

John Lewis said: ‘As a participating retailer in Black Friday, we offer hundreds of deals across technology, home, beauty and fashion.  In addition to the variety of offers we have instore and online during the promotional period, our Never Knowingly Undersold price promise means that we continuously monitor and match the prices of our high street competitors throughout the year.  As such, we offer our customers the best value on the high street all year round, including during the Black Friday period.’   

Six tips for a successful shop this Black Friday

Black Friday shoppers have been encouraged to pay on credit card, do their research before the day and be wary when it comes to some deals this year.

Penny pinching pros from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk have revealed six helpful tips to make a successful Black Friday haul.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday is one of the best weekends of the year to spend money due to the bargain prices many shops offer.

It’s important, however, to stay as safe as you can whilst shopping and to make sure that the deals are actually deals. 

A spokesperson for NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: “Black Friday weekend is one of the best times to buy presents for Christmas, but it can get busy quickly. 

“Many shoppers are expected to ditch the shops and buy online this year due to the current coronavirus restrictions, so it’s important to do your research before the weekend.

“By following our tips hopefully you’ll make Santa jealous with your haul of presents, all whilst keeping your bank account happy too!”

These are NetVoucherCodes.co.uk tips to stay safe and have an enjoyable weekend shopping:

1. Make a list

It can be very easy to go blind when you’re confronted with lots of offers. Before Black Friday, make a list of who you need to buy for, or what you want to buy. This will make it more difficult to over buy. You could even have a browse and write down pre-Black Friday prices. Browse around and compare prices, then make a note of the best two websites that stock the products. If it sells out before you have chance to buy it you’ll have a back-up store ready.

2. Social Media

Many brands will be advertising their deals on social media in the lead up to Black Friday. Some may even offer exclusive deals to their followers. If you have the option to follow local stores, this may mean you can enjoy deals exclusive only to individual shops.

3. Start early

Some shops have been known to start their Black Friday deals up to a week before the big day. Sometimes it can pay to buy a few smaller items on these days, so on Black Friday you’ll have more time to trawl through the offers.

4. Be wary

If there’s a deal which looks too good to be true, it probably is. Just because there’s a deal on doesn’t mean you have to buy.  It’s easy to think that because an item is reduced on one site then it’s a great deal. It may only be reduced by a small amount or may be even cheaper elsewhere. If you have the time to shop about, do it. Using a price tracking website will let you look at a product’s price history so you can see if it is a great deal or not.

5. Voucher sites

Although some of the offers may seem great already, your bank account isn’t going to say no if you can save even more money! Spend some time going through voucher sites which could help you get even more of a discount on your Black Friday shopping. Write down any codes next to relevant items on your list. This will help speed up the checkout process when it comes to the big day.

6.Card

If you’re planning on making your purchases online, it’s important to consider which card you will be using. If you pay with a credit card or via PayPal you’ll have more protection if anything goes wrong. 

Santa brings Christmas to Ocean Terminal

Santa Claus brought the magic of Christmas to Ocean Terminal when he made a secret visit to the waterfront shopping centre to check that everything was just perfect for the opening of his grotto on Thursday 3 December. 

Caught on CCV footage here, Santa tests out the hand sanitiser and puts on his mask, before snapping his fingers to conjure up this year’s festive sparkle and dazzling grotto. 

So, while Christmas 2020 will be a little different, the elves at Ocean Terminal aren’t letting coronavirus ruin the Christmas spirt. Santa and his helpers are working hard to give shoppers a small piece of normality this festive season. 

Having tested out his new grotto and switched on the Christmas lights Santa will now return to the centre on 3 December and will stay there every day through to Christmas Eve (excluding December 7-9), celebrating the festivities in a safe and socially distant way.  

A specially designed festive screen has been installed in the grotto to ensure all government guidelines are met and visitors, big and small, can still experience the excitement of a trip to see Santa.

Booking is essential this year – visit https://www.oceanterminal.com/news-events/santas-grotto-book-now-1163 

As well as Santa’s grotto, the weekly market becomes the Christmas Market, opening daily from 25 November through to 23 December.

Located on the ground floor, the market will offer a wide variety of artisan food and handcrafted gifts from local Scottish traders.  New for this year is a winter photo competition in partnership with The Leith Collective offering all photography enthusiasts the chance to appear in Ocean Terminal’s Winter Landscape Photo Exhibition.

Full information can be found at oceanterminal.com . 

Ocean Terminal, Centre Manager, Michelle Macleod said: “We wanted to give our customers a sense of normality, so the centre is looking fabulous and nothing is stopping us enjoy the full spirit of Christmas. Santa will be here and spreading joy just as every year.  

“Not everyone wants to shop online, and nothing really beats the buzz you get when you spot just the right gift or fill the boot of your car with presents you know family and friends are going to love.  

“It’s been a tough year for everyone and I think that a small piece of normality, and a familiar setting is something that everyone can appreciate. We’ve worked hard to put extra measures in place to ensure a safe and socially distanced festive season can be enjoyed by all.” 

Morrisons asks food and drinks brands to help fight war on plastic

– Morrisons to work with brands to reduce plastic in products and packaging –

– Supermarket’s packaging and technical teams on hand to offer support –

Morrisons has asked its branded suppliers to help fight the war on plastic, as part of its commitment to reduce the amount of the material in its stores and supply chain operations. 

The supermarket made the appeal at its annual supplier conference, to which 1,600 suppliers were invited. 

Morrisons is asking its branded suppliers to reduce plastic in both product packaging and on the shelf display packaging, as well as in the materials in which these products are transported to stores. 

It is hoped that this will remove thousands of tonnes of plastic from the supermarket’s shelves a year – and make it easier for customers to reduce the amount of plastic they are purchasing. 

Advice and guidance will be offered by Morrisons technical teams to help brands to reduce their plastic packaging. As the supermarket is ‘vertically integrated’ – and manufactures more than half of the fresh food it sells – it is in a unique position to be able to offer support to the industry. 

Andy Atkinson, Group Commercial Director at Morrisons said: “As the UK’s biggest fresh food maker we are committed to helping our customers live their life with less plastic. So we are asking our branded suppliers to join with us in reducing our plastic footprint as this is a priority for our customers.”

Morrisons has committed to a 50% reduction across its own brand primary plastic packaging by 2025. Initiatives introduced over the last 12 months will remove 9,000 tonnes of unnecessary or problematic plastic each year. Eighty three per cent of its own-brand plastic packaging is now able to be recycled.  

In 2019 Morrisons was voted the most environmentally responsible company in the UK for its work on plastics reduction at the Responsible Business Awards, run by HRH The Prince of Wales’ Business in the Community Network. Greenpeace has also repeatedly ranked Morrisons second in the supermarket industry for its plastic reduction achievements.

Morrisons work on plastic reduction sits alongside other sustainability commitments made by the supermarket including net zero emissions by 2040, a zero-deforestation plan and a 50% reduction in operational food waste by 2030. 

For more details on Morrisons sustainability commitments visit:

 https://www.morrisons-corporate.com/cr/corporate-responsibility/.

All the ways to shop with Morrisons during the pandemic

– Same-day delivery services available via Amazon and Deliveroo – 

– Dedicated Telesales line and Doorstep Delivery Service available for those who are self-isolating, the elderly and vulnerable customers –

– Morrisons stores are operating with normal opening hours in line with Government restrictions – 

To continue serving customers during the pandemic, Morrisons has introduced a number of different ways to purchase food in addition to their usual online delivery service.

Morrisons stores remain open as usual (typically Mon–Sat 7am-10pm, Sun 10am-4pm) and are following Government advice where relevant, however, for those that don’t want to shop in store, there are plenty of other options including a Doorstep Delivery service for self-isolating, elderly and vulnerable shoppers, same-day deliveries with Amazon and Deliveroo for quick and convenient shopping.

In addition, there is a selection of Food Boxes available online, which will be delivered next day if ordered before 3pm, as well as click & collect and regular online delivery service with slots available on morrisons.com.

Doorstep Delivery Service

A person holding a sign Description automatically generated

Vulnerable, elderly and self-isolating customers including students can order their shopping on the Doorstep Delivery service via a telesales line by calling 0345 611 6111. They can choose from a range of groceries and their order will be delivered the next day by a Morrisons store colleague and paid for, on their doorstep, via a mobile chip and pin device.

Via Amazon

A picture containing indoor, food, table, filled Description automatically generated

Customers can access Morrisons shopping either through Morrisons on Amazon (an Amazon.co.uk service) and the Morrisons Store on Amazon Prime Now (accessible via the Prime Now site and app) provides Prime members with a way of getting free-of-charge same-day grocery delivery.

Orders are placed on Amazon, before being picked in store by Morrisons employees and packed in a dedicated area. From there, the shopping is collected by Amazon Flex Delivery Partners and delivered to the customer within a two-hour delivery window on the same day.

Via Deliveroo

A person riding on the back of a bicycle Description automatically generated

Morrisons has partnered with Deliveroo at more than 130 stores across the UK – covering one in four households (6.8 million). Customers can order from over 200 essential household items, including meat, plant-based substitutes, fruit, vegetables and household essentials, for on-demand delivery in as little as 30 minutes.

All deliveries are contact-free to ensure safety, with Deliveroo riders leaving the deliveries at customers’ doors to collect, minimising person-to-person contact.

Food Boxes

A kitchen with a lot of food on a table Description automatically generated

In March, Morrisons launched a nationwide food box service and has since expanded the range to over 25 choices including cupboard essentials, vegan essentials, gluten-free essentials, meat and fish options, wine boxes and party boxes. All prices listed on Morrisons food boxes website https://www.morrisons.com/food-boxes/ include next day (if ordered before 3pm) or nominated day delivery. You can even save with a subscription on selected boxes.

Click & Collect

cidimage005.png@01D6B80D.49A9F8D0

Morrisons has expanded its Click & Collect service to 280 locations nationwide. Customers can simply complete a Morrisons.com order online and then collect from store, contact-free, at a time that suits them best.

For more information visit www.morrisons.com.

Black Friday: beware of fake reviews

Which? is warning of the risk of fake reviews misleading shoppers this Black Friday as new research suggests Amazon is struggling to spot and prevent sellers from using unscrupulous tactics to manipulate their ratings.

Fake reviews are a big problem on many of the world’s biggest websites and Which? has also previously uncovered evidence of fake and suspicious review activity on eBay, Facebook and TripAdvisor.

In the UK, Amazon is a dominant force with Black Friday shoppers. Which? research found 34 per cent of consumers planned to buy something there this Black Friday, compared to 16 per cent at John Lewis and seven per cent at Currys PC World.

In its latest investigation Which? looked at the first page of Amazon listings for some of the most popular Black Friday product categories, including tablets, smartphones and wearables, as well as headphones and mobile phone accessories – where it has previously found evidence of concerning review activity.

Which? uncovered a range of obvious tactics sellers are using to manipulate review ratings. Amazon says it has clear policies that prohibit sellers from engaging in this type of activity, and has mechanisms in place to analyse reviews, but Which? is concerned that its approach is not effective enough. Which?’s experts found:

  • Blatant evidence of sellers incentivising shoppers to write positive reviews, using free gifts or vouchers. Despite exposing this practice in previous investigations and it being in breach of Amazon’s site policies, this appears to be a persistent issue. In a number of cases the products were also labelled with the Amazon’s Choice endorsement and had comments within reviews such as: “wouldn’t have placed this review but for the fact that I am hoping to claim the free gifts offered by doing so”.
  • Large numbers of positive product reviews uploaded in a suspiciously short space of time. In one example a pair of Pro-Elec headphones had 1,006 ratings and 4.8 stars despite the listing having only been added less than six months earlier. That’s more than five reviews each day, on average, for a brand that’s unknown outside of Amazon. Of those reviews, 92 per cent were five stars.
  • Products with a suspiciously high number of review images – Which? research has shown how unscrupulous sellers often ask for images when they request positive reviews on their products. One smartwatch by Willful, an Amazon’s Choice product, had 3,800 images posted alongside the 2,544 written reviews – easily outnumbering the reviews with images left for products by better-known brands – this is more than 60 times the number of reviews with images left on the Apple Watch Series 3.
  • Review merging – where sellers merge dormant or unavailable products with new or existing product listings as a way to transfer positive reviews from one to another. This included a supposed iPhone 11 adaptor which appeared to share reviews with the popular PS4 video game The Last of Us.
  • Products with colour ‘variations’ manipulated to create higher numbers of positive reviews – evidence of users leaving multiple reviews, on the same day, by selecting different colour variants, in an apparent effort to evade any systems Amazon uses to detect fake reviews.
  • An account that had been hacked and used to leave a five-star review – one review of a set of headphones had been updated with a claim that the reviewer’s account had been hacked and used to leave a five star review, a tactic that other people have previously reported to Which?.

With many high street stores forced to shut due to lockdown restrictions, it’s likely that more people than ever will turn to online shopping in the weeks ahead. Which? is concerned that some sellers are seeking to manipulate reviews to increase their prominence in Amazon search results.

Worryingly there also appears to have been a rise in the proportion of suspicious reviews on Amazon in the UK since March’s coronavirus lockdown, according to ReviewMeta data.

ReviewMeta’s data suggests that there was a more than 30 per cent rise in the proportion of unnatural reviews on Amazon between March and August following the first coronavirus lockdown. This means consumers are at risk of being misled given Which? research has found that people could be more than twice as likely to choose poor-quality products online if they have been boosted by fake reviews.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has previously estimated that £23 billion a year of consumer transactions are influenced by online reviews and many people will be looking to use them as a helpful guide to get a good deal in the sales.

However, Which? believes that firmer action is needed to address the recurring problems caused by fake reviews on online marketplaces and other platforms, so that consumers can shop online with confidence.

The CMA must seek to conclude its investigation into fake reviews with some urgency. If it finds that sites that host reviews are not doing enough to detect and prevent fake reviews and the bad actors that flood their platforms with them – then strong action must immediately be taken to prevent growing numbers of consumers from being misled.

Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services, said: “Our investigation has uncovered popular Black Friday product categories that are littered with fake and suspicious reviews – suggesting that deals that look too good to be true often are. This leaves shoppers at risk of being misled into buying poor quality and potentially dangerous products online.

“With people more reliant on online shopping than ever before due to the coronavirus crisis, it’s vital that online platforms step up and do more to protect their users from fake reviews, otherwise the regulator must be prepared to swiftly step in with strong action.”

Which?’s advice on how to spot fake reviews this Black Friday:

If it looks too good to be true…

A healthy degree of scepticism is your best weapon against fake reviews. If a product has an unusually high number of reviews relative to others in that category, especially if these reviews are overwhelmingly positive, you’d be right to exercise caution.

Actually read the reviews

Don’t just trust the overall rating – read some reviews to look for suspicious repetition or signs of incentivisation, and sort by recent reviews to see what new buyers thought. Always check negative reviews as well, to see if there are recurring issues.

Take extra care with brands you don’t recognise

The majority of fake review activity we’ve seen has been on brands that are all but unknown outside marketplaces. If you don’t recognise the brand, check to see if it has a legitimate looking website, with clear contact details. You could even try calling or emailing the seller with a question, to see how quickly they respond.

Be wary of products with lots of pictures or videos 

Sellers on Facebook review groups who incentivise positive reviews often encourage people to add photos and videos. Ask yourself, how likely is it that you’d take the time to snap multiple images, or a video, of a product that you’re reviewing honestly?

Report suspicious reviews to Amazon

Consumers concerned about the authenticity of reviews left on a product, when they are looking at websites, are encouraged to report this to the online platform so that it can investigate.

Amazon’s reporting mechanism can be found here: 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/contact-us/features-and-services.html

Which?’s Black Friday insider’s guide: 

https://www.which.co.uk/news/black-friday/

Online shopping: Which?’s top 5 tips to stay safe and save money: 

https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/shopping/article/online-shopping/online-shopping-top-tips-to-stay-safe-and-save-money-aMgbs0Q4k6U4

HALF of Scots felt that their trips to the supermarket were vital to combating isolation during lockdown

From our bellies, to our minds, to our hearts: The role of the UK’s supermarkets through COVID-19

Scotland’s new ‘five-tier’ lockdown system comes into effect tomorrow, with each of the country’s 32 local authorities falling into Levels 0 to 4, depending on coronavirus infection rates.

In light of the increase in localised lockdowns due to surging Coronavirus cases, the role of grocers and supermarkets has now become more clear than ever. Not only have they been integral in providing us all with basic living necessities, they have also played a hugely important role when it comes to our mental health. 

The national lockdown in March saw millions of people confined to their homes, fearful of any contact with other people. However, these fears also came with elements of cabin fever as people yearned to once again feel a sense of normal.

For many, the only time this could be achieved was through their weekly shop; a time they were able to (safely) socialise, and gain a glimpse of normality amid the unforeseen circumstances brought about by the pandemic.

In light of this, technology pioneers Ubamarket found that 50% of Scots believed their weekly shop to the supermarket was vital to combating the isolation they were feeling during lockdown. As we experience a tightening of restrictions once again, the centrality of supermarkets in society has now become overwhelmingly clear, with many once again finding solace in their supermarket. 

Now, it is more important than ever that supermarkets and the retail sector alike are able to adapt to the post-Coronavirus climate.

According to many industry commentators, retail technology holds the key to helping supermarkets and retailers transition into the new future of retail as designed by Coronavirus. The implementation of end-to-end tech solutions which help supermarkets to streamline and modernise the shopping experience in keeping with the changing retail landscape. 

Will Broome, CEO and Founder of Ubamarket, discusses the integral role of supermarkets amid the Coronavirus crisis, and how technology can transform the current in-store offering to ensure long-term success and customer satisfaction:

“Localised lockdowns have highlighted exactly how important local shops and supermarkets are to consumers across the country. An essential presence, our nation’s shop keepers are constantly at the front line, providing everyone with their basic necessities.

“Their presence is absolutely paramount in our efforts to combat the difficulties brought about by the virus, and with half of Scots combating isolation and finding much-needed relief when doing their weekly shop, the centrality of supermarkets has never been clearer.  

“Now, in order to sustain this, the world of retail needs to evolve and adapt to the new Coronavirus climate, moving away from the existing problems the sector has. The constantly changing store layouts, the outdated queues and checkouts, and the lack of communication between supermarkets and their customers are just some of the issues that COVID-19 has made very clear. 

Retail tech offers an all-encompassing solution; in Ubamarket’s case in the form of a simple app; which can put consumers in control, doing away with the need for time-consuming queues, unhygienic checkouts, and confusion about where products are and whether they are in stock.

“In a tech-supported store, customers can simply check ahead of time which products are in stock, be guided to their exact location with an aisle sat-nav, and then simply scan and pay in-app, rather than having to waste time and risk potentially dangerous exposure in queues or tills.

“I for one am extremely interested to see how the retail landscape in the UK will emerge from the Coronavirus crisis, but if one thing is certain, it is the capability of retail technology to help us build the future of retail that we would like to see.”

Morrisons offers Teachers and School Staff 10% off all groceries

From this Monday (Nov 2nd), all teachers and school staff will be able to claim a 10% discount* on their shopping in Morrisons stores nationwide.

Lasting until after Christmas, the special discount is a thank you to half a million teachers** and additional school staff who are looking after the nation’s children and supporting them through the Covid-19 pandemic.

Primary, secondary, private and special educational school teachers can all claim the discount, as well as all teaching assistants, catering staff, dinner ladies, caretakers, cleaners and school office staff.

These groups will also be able to participate in a dedicated shopping hour alongside NHS workers from 6am-7am (Mon-Sat) before stores open to other customers.***

Morrisons also offers a 10% discount for NHS staff which was introduced in April.

From this Monday, all teachers and school staff will be able to claim a 10% discount on their shopping in Morrisons stores nationwide. Lasting until after Christmas, the special discount is a thank you to the half a million teachers and additional school staff who are looking after the nation’s children and supporting them through the COVID-19 pandemic.

David Potts, Morrisons Chief Executive said: “Teachers and school staff are facing many challenges and the education of our children has never been more important. This discount is our way of saying thank you as they continue to care for and educate our kids.”

Teachers and school staff can claim the 10% discount on their groceries by presenting their school photo ID card at the till in any of Morrisons 498 stores from Monday 2 November.

*The 10% discount cannot be used with a purchase of alcohol, drugs, pharmaceutical products, infant milk or formula, tobacco and is not available online.

Full terms and conditions here https://my.morrisons.com/teachers

**https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england

*** The special hour of shopping also applies in most stores on a Sunday from 9am

Little Dobbies to open in Comely Bank

Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre retailer, has announced the development of its first small format store – Little Dobbies.

Little Dobbies, which will be located on Raeburn Place in Stockbridge and is scheduled to open in November, is the first of its kind for the retailer that has 68 garden centres across the UK.

The core of the Little Dobbies’ offer will be horticulturally focused with a range of convenience gardening products. This will be complemented by a carefully curated range featuring houseplants and pots; a small range of gifts; and selected seasonal ranges. For opening, the seasonal ranges will feature Christmas items, including decorations, wreaths and hampers.

There will also be a coffee shop, offering hot and cold drinks, as well as takeaway food. 

Graeme Jenkins, CEO at Dobbies, said: “This is an exciting new venture for our team, as we launch the first Little Dobbies. The store will feature gardening essentials for city centre residents and will showcase some of the extensive ranges available at our larger stores and at dobbies.com

“Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the project and we can’t wait to open the doors of Little Dobbies in November.”

Opening hours for Little Dobbies are Monday to Friday, 10:00 -18:00; Thursday 10:00-19:00; Saturday and Sunday 09:00-18:00.

For further information visit dobbies.com