Online Supermarkets See Rise In Use Over Fear Of Second Lockdown

Online supermarkets see rise in use over fear of second lockdown and they express concern over increased panic buying.

UK Supermarkets have seen a massive increase in demand for online delivery slots amid rumours of a second lockdown.

Ocado and Sainsbury’s have both reported an event increase in requests for delivery slots as ministers in the UK consider the options for a second national lockdown.

Anxious shoppers are concerned that they will not be able to receive their shopping should panic buying restart if another lockdown is executed so they are already booking slots to ensure they receive their weekly shopping.

Sainsbury’s is already in the process of expanding their online offering to deal with the sudden increase in demand and Ocado has notified its delivery slots are selling out at a much higher rate than normal.

During the original lockdown in March, the UK public ignored calls to limit their buying and to not panic buy however the pleas fell on deaf ears as the UK supermarkets saw shelves emptied of essential at an exceptional rate.

The result of this frenzy meant that numerous vulnerable groups and key workers were left without the ability to access basic essentials.

As the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus rise, the UK has also been warned that it is expected that the death rate will also start to rise again as the virus reaches more vulnerable people.

Ocado have announced on their website, “Delivery slots are selling out faster than usual. If you can’t find a slot now, please use the “Next 3 days” button to see available slots further in advance.”

Similarly, Sainsbury’s have announced, “Slots are still in high demand. We have been working hard to expand our service.  More slots are now available and we are able to offer some of them to other customers.”

“Customers who are vulnerable will get priority access and are able to book slots in advance of anyone else. We’re releasing new slots regularly so please check back if you can’t see any available.”

However, Prime Minister, Boris Johnson has made it clear that he prefers the use of local measures than initiating another UK wide lockdown. This has also been expressed by a number of Government ministers.

He said, “On Monday we brought in the measures that we did, the ‘rule of six’, to really try and restrict what people are doing and to bring in a new buffer – and to make it absolutely clear, the ‘rule of six’: indoors six maximum, six outdoors maximum.”

He continued, “But the crucial thing is at the same time to observe the basic rules on social distancing – hands, face, space – that is what everybody has got to do if we want to continue to beat this thing.”

“But as we look at this particular curve and what is happening now, clearly we are going to keep everything under review. I don’t want to get into a second national lockdown at all, it is the last thing anybody wants.”

“I don’t want to go into bigger lockdown measures at all, we want to keep schools open and it is fantastic the schools have gone back in the way they have.”

“We want to keep the economy open as far as we possibly can, we want to keep businesses going.”

“The only way we can do that is obviously if people follow the guidance.”

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