Britain's supermarkets wrestle with coronavirus demand conundrum

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LONDON: Britain’s big supermarkets fear they won’t be able to supply the country’s 60 million people without longer opening hours or a relaxation ...

Sales growth has slowed over the past fortnight as stores cut their opening hours, limited the number of customers allowed in at any one time and restricted sales of some items - all leading to long queues outside many supermarkets.

That’s one reason why Britain’s big four - market leader Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons - are recruiting tens of thousands of staff. The other reason is to cover absenteeism, currently running at 15 per cent to 20 per cent, according to industry sources. “The current social distancing approach that’s being taken by the supermarkets can’t sell that 85 per cent number,” another industry director told Reuters.

At the outset of the crisis, some supermarkets shortened their opening hours to give staff more time to rest, restock shelves and prepare online deliveries.

 

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