Pioneering venture Keep Edinburgh Thriving will allow residents to continue to ‘shop local’ whilst simultaneously supporting businesses across Edinburgh to survive COVID-19 and beyond
Three weeks ago, everything changed overnight for small businesses across the city of Edinburgh. Social distancing measures forced them to close their doors indefinitely and the future for each of them, became somewhat uncertain.
In an attempt to provide these independent vendors with a much-needed lifeline, local entrepreneur, Robbie Allen has launched Keep Edinburgh Thriving, a service that will see a selection of local high-quality products packaged up into gift boxes and delivered to households across Scotland’s capital.
The pioneering venture will allow local residents to continue to ‘shop local’ whilst simultaneously providing a critical lifeline to these businesses, helping them with cash flow and financial sustainability during COVID-19 and beyond.
Robbie Allen, founder of Keep Edinburgh Thriving comments: “It is a really simple idea. Our aim is to Keep Edinburgh Thriving.
“We are partnering with a bunch of amazing local businesses in Edinburgh and taking these high-quality products and handling all the logistics and e-commerce side of things for them so that they can continue to grow and sustain their company and livelihood.
“This is a really tough time for our beloved high street, and we want to help as many local Edinburgh businesses as possible. As soon as you place an order this instantly benefits our local partners providing the products in each gift box.”
There are two box sizes of gift box available – a small box contains 4-5 items (£39) and a large contains 6-7 items (£55). Customers will receive a variety of products including artisan food and snacks, local art, drinks, craft coffee, beer, spirits, lifestyle products (candles, coasters, notebooks, mugs/tumblers) and local skin care products, all of which will be high-quality and local to Edinburgh.
To help support the local community further during this epidemic, £2 from each gift box sale will be donated to the Edinburgh Food Project.
The rapid spread of COVID-19 has caused a sudden, steep decline in business for cafes, restaurants, boutiques, artisans, creators and local retailers.
For more information about how to support your local high street and keep Edinburgh Thriving, visit www.keepedinburghthriving.com
Some security advice to help protect British shoppers against cyber-crime has been released as we head online for the basics:
Internet shopping specialists from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk have revealed their 13 top tips to help UK consumers stay safe when shopping on the web in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
From using a credit card and keeping software up to date, to writing down complicated passwords and making up answers to security questions, online shoppers could avoid becoming a cyber criminal’s next victim by following the guidance.
A spokesperson for NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: “With more and more Britons heading online to shop for the essentials, it’s important to take online security even more seriously.
“Browsing the web can be a security minefield for consumers – a computer virus, hacker or fraud could be just one click away.
“So to help Brits shop online with greater peace of mind, we’ve revealed the different measures you can take to stay safe when buying something on the internet.”
If you purchase online using a debit card and it turns out to be a scam there’s usually no way to retrieve your money, but fraudulent charges must be reimbursed by credit card companies.
Check your statements regularly, just in case a purchase you didn’t make gets through the card provider’s safety net and you need to dispute it. This could also help if a purchase is shows up different to what you ordered, damaged or doesn’t arrive at all.
2. Make up security answers
When creating an account with online shopping sites, you might be asked to set up password reset security questions to confirm your identity.
Rather than entering the real town you were born in or mother’s maiden name, enter false answers and write them down if you can’t remember. This makes it much harder for cyber criminals who might be trying to gather information on you.
3. Only fill out required fields
Don’t offer up any more personal information that is necessary to complete an online purchase.
The required fields are usually starred or highlighted when checking out – it’s usually wise to leave the rest blank.
4. Never save information
Allowing even the most reputable of websites to store your payment or address information is unnecessary.
Don’t say yes when your browser suggests saving any passwords either and always log out when you’ve finished shopping.
5. Change passwords often
Regularly change between complicated, hard to guess, alphanumeric passwords that also contain symbols, even if you have to write them all down somewhere secure at home. Keep them different for each site you use too.
Using the same, simple but memorable password for every website for years, such as a pet’s name, is asking for trouble when online shopping.
6. Look for security indicators
A web address (or URL) that begins with ‘HTTPS’ are secure – those without the ‘S’, ‘HTTP’, may not be.
Other signs of shopping site security to look out for could include a closed padlock or complete key, possibly green, alongside the URL, next to the search bar or elsewhere around the screen.
7. Avoid public Wi-Fi
Entering personal information such as credit card details, passwords or home address while using free public Wi-Fi hotspots is dangerous as your data won’t be protected by encryption and could vulnerable to hackers.
8. Update your computer
Using an older version of a popular internet browser, operating system or anti-virus software on your computer means that you’ll be missing out on important security updates, which could leave you exposed when browsing the web.
9. Be extra careful on mobiles
Most mobile phones won’t have the same level of anti-virus protection as laptop or desktop computers so extra vigilance is required, particularly around shortened mobile-friendly URLs.
Mobile devices are also more likely to be stolen, so make sure any payment details are passcode or fingerprint protected.
10. Avoid email links
Rather than clicking on potentially suspect links to shopping sites that you see on social media, other websites or in emails, search for the website yourself.
This helps to make sure you browse the authentic site. If you’re getting a lot of spam emails, consider setting up a dedicated online shopping only email address.
11. Leave badly designed websites
If a shopping site appears to be out of date, has a strange URL, comes with lots of pop ups, or is dominated by cheap, irrelevant or overseas adverts, the page could be dodgy and worth exiting before it’s too late.
12. Research and read reviews
When considering spending on a new site that you haven’t used before, it can be useful to browse forums and social media to see what experience others have had of shopping there.
If you can find a real physical address and verifiable contact details for the company you intend to make a purchase from, they’re probably legitimate.
13. Trust your instincts
Just as you would when shopping on the high street, if you feel like a website is requesting too much personal information or could harm your computer with viruses, close it.
If in any doubt, stick to shopping with sites you know and trust.
Remember, if a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Which? – Coronavirus email and text phishing scams
Phishing and smishing emails and SMS messages are already being sent out to trap the unwary into giving up login details.
One we’ve seen is an email that claims to come from the World Health Organization. It’s short and sweet, asking that you click on a link to what it says is a PDF offering advice on how to stay safe during the outbreak.
Security firm Sophos has a detailed breakdown of what happens if you click on that link, but broadly it shows you a pop-up in front of what looks like the WHO’s actual website asking you to input your email address and password so that you can receive the non-existent PDF.
Other phishing emails and SMS messages (known as ‘smishing’ texts) are also doing the rounds: Action Fraud has warned that emails purporting to be from organisations including the US Centers for Disease Control and the WHO are being sent with the aim of tricking you into opening malicious attachments or giving away your passwords.
The latest email and text phishing scams:
Fake lockdown fines
People have been warned not to fall for a bogus text message saying they have been fined for stepping outside during the coronavirus lockdown. The scam message claims to be from the Government, telling the recipient their movements have been monitored through their phone and they must pay a fine or face a more severe penalty.
HMRC goodwill payment
The MET police are warning of a fake message designed to steal your account details that says ‘As part of the NHS promise to battle the COV-19 virus, HMRC has issued a payment of £258 as a goodwill payment’.
Free school meals
The Department for Education has issued warnings about a scam email designed to steal your bank details saying: ‘As schools will be closing, if you’re entitled to free school meals, please send your bank details and we’ll make sure you’re supported.’
Conspiracy theories and misinformation
Another email we’ve seen is full of doom-laden warnings that ‘There is no vaccine for coronavirus’ and that ‘the US government, like the Chinese government, isn’t telling us the truth about how many are infected’. That email is full of links. While we’ve only seen screenshots of this, it seems likely that these links will lead you to either phishing sites or, worse, sites that can infect your computer with malware.
Sophos has also reported on emails that – for now – are targeting Italian email addresses and which include a Word document that purports to offer guidelines for preventing infection, but which in fact harbours a malicious script that infects Windows computers with a banking Trojan, i.e. malware that aims to steal online banking credentials.
So watch out for emails that include attachments.
Read the Which? guide on how to spot a phishing scam for more information:
Many NHS workers have said that they are struggling to buy the products they need at the beginning or the end of their shift, as supermarkets have seen unprecedented demand.
So we’re responding by introducing an NHS hour at all our stores at the beginning of every day, Monday to Saturday, so NHS workers can shop for groceries for themselves and their families.
This will be from 7am to 8am and a Morrisons colleague will be on the door to let staff with an NHS badge in.
Our new opening hours for all our other customers are 8am to 8pm, Monday to Saturday. On Sundays we’ll be open as usual.
We promise to play our part in feeding the nation – it’s more than our job.
A further update from Sainsbury’s Chief Executive Mike Coupe:
We are continuing to work around the clock to feed the nation in these challenging times.
Many of you have written to me in the past 24 hours to tell me that you like the idea of priority shopping for NHS workers and for elderly and disabled customers, but that these should be at different times.
We have therefore decided to allow NHS and social care workers to shop in our supermarkets for half an hour before they open each day. So anyone with NHS ID will be able to shop from 07.30-08.00 every day from Monday to Saturday.
We’re delighted to be able to offer priority shopping to all the hard-working NHS staff across the country who are working so hard to keep us all safe and well.
In addition to this, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, all our supermarkets will dedicate 08.00-09.00 to serving elderly customers, disabled customers and carers.
Many of you have also asked me about priority online delivery slots for elderly, disabled and vulnerable customers.
We have been able to identify a number of customers as elderly and vulnerable based on the information they have given us previously. These details would include date of birth and if you have ever used our vulnerable customer helpline. For all of these customers, we will email you today (Sunday) with information on when slots will become available.
If you do not receive an email and you consider yourself to be vulnerable, please visit our Groceries Online website on Monday for information on how to contact us.
We are also working as quickly as possible on an option for people to register themselves as disabled and vulnerable on their online shopping accounts.
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to get in touch with me and share your feedback – it’s because of you that we are making these changes and we will continue to listen, learn and adapt during this uncertain time.
I wanted to write to you again to update you on the steps we are taking to make sure everyone has access to food and essential items. I’m also sharing more information about how we are supporting our colleagues in these challenging times and how you can help.
An increasing number of you have told me that you’re not always able to get the items that you need when you need them. We are working with our suppliers to get even more stock of essential items and we are adding warehouse capacity on a daily basis.
You will have seen that we put restrictions in place this week to ensure that more products are on shelf for longer.
From Monday 23rd March, we are consolidating our opening hours and all our supermarkets will be open from 8am to 8pm, Monday-Saturday, including those with an Argos store. Sunday opening, Sainsbury’s Local and petrol station opening times will stay the same.
This means we can focus our store colleagues’ time on keeping shelves stocked and serving our customers well during the times that most of you are already shopping.
Last Thursday, we set aside an hour for elderly and vulnerable shoppers in our supermarkets. Many of you have told me how much you appreciated this and that you would like this to become a regular event. Some of you also said we should extend this to members of our hardworking NHS and Social Care workers. And we will be doing just that.
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, all our supermarkets will dedicate 8am – 9am to serving elderly, disabled and vulnerable customers, as well as NHS and Social Care workers.
They will just need to show us their pass or ID when they visit. Some of you fed back that you couldn’t find what you wanted during that hour, so we will try our best to have essential items on shelf for these customers.
We will be working to keep our shelves well stocked and would encourage customers to arrive throughout the hour to prevent queues forming and to help everyone keep a safe distance.
Hundreds of you have written to me to thank our amazing colleagues who are working around the clock to serve our customers. A number of you have also shared your concerns for the safety and wellbeing of our colleagues.
I want you to know that we are doing all we can to support everyone who works in our business.
We have committed to paying all colleagues who are unwell or need to self-isolate for the full period of fourteen days. We have also committed to paying vulnerable and elderly colleagues in full if the government decides they should isolate for 12 weeks.
We hope this will go some way to helping our teams through this uncertain time and we are looking at other ways to thank our colleagues for their extraordinary efforts.
To keep our colleagues safe, I need to ask again for your help. Please do your best to stand one metre away from colleagues in our stores where you can. And we would prefer you to pay with card rather than cash at our tills.
Please also treat our colleagues and other customers with kindness and respect. These are unprecedented circumstances and our colleagues are being asked to come to work every day while so many others are being asked to stay at home.
We all need them to keep coming to work to feed the nation – a small thank you goes a really long way.
I hope you will join us in looking out for each other and the communities that we serve.
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.”
This is a message of thanks to our customers for their patience and support and to our colleagues and suppliers for their hard work in dealing with the uncharted challenges and uncertainty presented by the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Whilst customers are stocking up, our colleagues are working around the clock to fill our stores with what you need, to serve our customers and communities and take care of one another when we need each other most.
We want to let you know that looking after our customers and colleagues is our priority at Morrisons, ensuring we all have a clean, safe place to shop and work.
We are working hard to fill our shops and online stores:
• We are a Foodmaker and Shopkeeper and we’re increasing the amount of food we make in our British manufacturing sites to meet customers’ needs
• We’ve increased the amount of stock being sent to stores from our warehouses, with colleagues working incredibly hard
• We’re extending our home delivery service so we can deliver to more customers on their doorstep at the times they need us
• We’re introducing temporary purchase limits on products where there is high demand, so they remain available for longer for more customers to buy
• Cleaning in our stores is being increased throughout the day to ensure high standards of food safety and store cleanliness are maintained
We are following guidance provided by the Government, working closely with our suppliers and ensuring we collectively do everything possible to help the country in these challenging times.
I want to personally thank all our dedicated colleagues who are working very hard in very challenging circumstances, to serve our customers, support our communities and take care of one another.
We expect the days, weeks and months ahead to be testing. I know that working together to support each other we will meet the many challenges we will face.
We have plans in place to respond as the situation develops and we are working every day to meet the changing nature of the impact of this pandemic.
I would like to ask all our customers, when shopping with us, to please consider others even more so everyone can buy what they need, especially those who are most vulnerable in our society. Please continue to treat our colleagues on the front line with the greatest respect.
Thank you for shopping with Morrisons. We promise to do our very best to work together, to support our customers and each other as we face into this challenge.
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.
