Waitrose and M&S latest to offer shopping hour for people vulnerable to coronavirus

Waitrose and M&S are to offer a shopping hour for vulnerable people

Marks and Spencer is also to reserve some time for key workers such as NHS staff at a separate time.

John Lewis and Partners said it would offer craft and cookery classes online and even on one to one calls to people who were feeling isolated.

It is also offering a a £1million Community Support Fund to be distributed by Waitrose shops to local communities.

Sharon White, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, said; “At this time of national crisis, the John Lewis Partnership is wholeheartedly committed to ensuring we support customers and in particular the elderly and most vulnerable.

“Our commitment to contribute to the wellbeing of the communities we operate in has always been at the heart of our business.”

From Friday, in Waitrose supermarkets the elderly, the vulnerable and those who look after them will be able to take advantage of a prioritised and dedicated shopping hour in the first hour of the store opening.

M&S said it will reserve the first hour of trading for them at all of its owned stores, starting tomorrow and after this, on every Monday and Thursday. In addition, M&S is also introducing a special shopping hour to support NHS and emergency service workers – which will take place for the first hour each Tuesday and Friday morning.

Waitrose has also taken the decision to close all Waitrose Cafes and rotisseries and to temporarily suspend making coffees.

It will also add a limit of three for any specific grocery item, and a maximum of two packets of toilet roll per customer buying in shops.