Supermarkets struggle to stock shelves amid Covid app ‘pingdemic’

Supermarkets have attributed gaps in shelves to a rising number of staff across their supply chains, from shopfloor workers to delivery drivers, having to isolate after coming into contact with someone who has Covid-19.

This issue has further exacerbated an existing shortage of HGV drivers due to a combination of coronavirus and Brexit, which Tesco said earlier this week is creating 48 tonnes of food waste per week.

British Retail Consortium (BRC) head of food and sustainability Andrew Opie said: “The ongoing pingdemic is putting increasing pressure on retailers’ ability to maintain opening hours and keep shelves stocked. Government needs to act fast.”

Approximately 1 million people are currently isolating due to a diagnosis of or contact with Covid-19, half of whom have been ‘pinged’ by the NHS app.

Yesterday Waitrose put up notices in some of its stores apologising for the “limited choice” because of “nationwide supply issues”, while Tesco told shoppers it was “working hard to resolve” issues with its supply chain.

Iceland is set to launch a recruitment drive for 2,000 temporary roles in a bid to plug gaps across its supermarkets and supply chain workforce due to pingdemic-induced absences, which have forced the grocer to shorten opening hours in some stores this week.

Earlier this week, M&S boss Steve Rowe warned that the retailer may be forced to adjust store opening hours due to staff availability issues, with the number of workers diagnosed with Covid-19 or isolating because of contact with it growing “exponentially”.

Under current regulations supermarket workers are unlikely to be allowed exemption from existing isolation rules.

Downing Street said yesterday that a “very small” number of people in sectors such as energy and telecommunications would be able to take daily tests instead of isolating.

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