🎰 UK supermarkets struggle to cope with surge in online orders | Business | The Guardian

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The government is understood to be considering relaxing the plastic bag tax, of 5p on single use bags, in order to facilitate doorstep deliveries with less risk of contamination for drivers and shoppers. Morrisons is to speed up payments to its smallest suppliers to help them with cash flow during the coronavirus outbreak. The changes come as grocery retailers continued to cope with a surge in demand for store cupboard essentials, including toilet roll, dried pasta and tinned tomatoes, as shoppers stock up in preparation for potential self-isolation amid fears of shortages or store closures. There are fears that the surge in sales is also putting pressure on small suppliers as they try to cope with sourcing materials and ramping up production. Most popular.{/INSERTKEYS}{/PARAGRAPH} There are also concerns that some suppliers will suffer from staff shortages as people become ill, or ingredient or component shortages because of unexpected high demand and problems with importing goods. In an attempt to protect its delivery drivers from infection, Ocado told those shoppers who were able to make an order that its staff would no longer be taking goods into homes or taking back plastic bags. The chain has also reclassified 1, suppliers to enable them to benefit from the policy change. Topics Supermarkets. With stockpiling focused on store cupboard essentials, some fresh produce has not sold as well in stores. Morrisons Retail industry Coronavirus outbreak Ocado Online shopping news. The supermarket, which will report annual results next week , said it would be operating the new system until at least the end of May, when it will be reviewed. Reuse this content. Suppliers and retailers are struggling to keep up with sudden demand that is on a par with Easter or Christmas, events that normally involve months of planning. It is also considering extending the number of hours drivers can legally work. {PARAGRAPH}{INSERTKEYS}Other supermarkets have no slots for several days as fears of coronavirus infection have driven up demand for online grocery shopping. The changes would come on top of relaxation of restrictions on night-time deliveries to stores in built-up areas, which the government has already agreed to. Some small producers may have suffered a slowdown in trade because of interruption to exports or lower orders from hotels, restaurants and other hospitality businesses as people stay at home.