Call for big four supermarkets to do more to support vulnerable customers

The Scottish Green party has called on the UK’s big four supermarket chains “to do more” to support vulnerable customers during lockdown so all those self-isolating can access food delivery services, including those without internet access.

Supermarkets across the country have brought in social distancing measures for customers. Picture: Michael Gillen

MSP Mark Ruskell, the Greens’ food and farming spokesman, last month wrote to the chief executives of Tesco, Morrison’s, Asda, and Sainsbury’s to ask them to take action in three areas - supporting small businesses in the supply chain, helping charities which offer emergency food relief, and prioritising vulnerable customers.

Based on the company’s replies, the party has rated Morrison’s as “excellent” when it came the latter category, but added that Asda and Tesco could “do more”.

But the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) said shops and their staff had done an “incredible job” during lockdown, stressing they had worked around the clock to feed the nation in extreme circumstances.

Mr Ruskell said: “The dominance of four chains in the food industry has given these retailers enormous power, and with that comes great responsibility, especially during a public health crisis like the one we are in.

“It’s clear that when it comes to these responsibilities, some are doing better than others. Farmers and foodbanks must get the support they need to respond to the needs of the country.

“Suppliers must be paid promptly, charities need supplies, and vulnerable people must be prioritised when it comes to delivery slots.”

Ewan MacDonald-Russell, head of policy at SRC, said: “These retailers and their staff have done an incredible job and worked around the clock to feed the nation in the face of the extreme circumstances provided by coronavirus and the unprecedented demand for certain items that it brought.

“Supermarkets and other grocers have worked phenomenally hard to ensure that everyone, including the most vulnerable, can get the items they need. Many have worked in partnership with community groups and foodbanks to help the most disadvantaged. They’ve ramped up their online delivery capability, worked closely with government on providing online deliveries for those who are shielding, whilst taking their own steps to provide dedicated shopping hours for the vulnerable

“Scottish retailers have spent £9 million thus far during the crisis on implementing social distancing and hygiene measures to protect staff and customers, donated millions to charity, and are playing a vital role in supporting the food and drink industry.”

A Tesco spokesman said: “We have made significant changes across our business over the past few weeks to keep the nation fed in these unprecedented times.

“We have given our smallest suppliers shorter payment terms and we are relaxing our buying specifications to help support farmers by buying food that was intended for the catering trade and would otherwise have gone to waste.

“To support our most vulnerable customers we are working with Government to identify those most in need and have created hundreds of thousands of additional online slots.

“This year we will donate £52m worth of meals in the communities we serve.”