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John Lewis Partnership announces a protected shopping hour for the elderly and vulnerable

The John Lewis partnership, which includes Waitrosehas announced new measures to help its businesses meet customer needs, with a special focus on the elderly and vulnerable.

This includes a £ 1m Community Support Fund distributed by Waitrose stores to local communities, and sheltered shopping hours for the elderly and vulnerable. The partnership also reviews online courses and advice from experienced partners for customers who need to isolate themselves at home. This can be handicraft courses and advice for expectant parents.

Sharon White, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, said; “In this time of national crisis, the John Lewis partnership is wholeheartedly committed to helping customers, especially older and most vulnerable people. Our commitment to contribute to the good of the communities in which we operate has always been at the heart of our business.

“The partners were excellent, supported each other and responded to the huge surge in demand at Waitrose. More than 2,100 John Lewis partners are helping and supporting deliveries this month in Waitrose stores. I am really grateful to everyone. "

Communities across the UK will have a £ 1m Community Support Fund to help those in need in their local communities.

The teams in each store work with their communities to find the best way to use the fund. Aid could include setting up additional local delivery services to support self-isolating, vulnerable people, the elderly and those who care for them. Deliver staples to local nursing homes and community groups and donate products to create care packages that customers can share with vulnerable neighbors.

From Friday, older people, vulnerable people and those who care for them can use a prioritized and dedicated shopping hour in Waitrose supermarkets. The specified hour is the first opening time of the shop. Waitrose.com is also working on a way to support its vulnerable customers who need to deliver food to them.

Waitrose has also decided to close all Waitrose cafes and rotisseries and to temporarily stop making coffee. This gives partners additional hours to fill the shelves with groceries and essential items. In some cases, stores are closed early to give partners time to replenish the shelves.

As of today, Waitrose is taking new steps to ensure that food is distributed fairly. In addition to the existing restrictions for some online items, there is a limit of three for a specific food and a maximum of two packets of toilet paper per customer shopping in stores.

John Lewis anticipates the feeling of loneliness and isolation that customers may feel at home, and looks for ways to remotely offer customers their partner-led services in their homes. For example, expectant parents looking for important kindergarten advice can book an online session with a specialized kindergarten advisor to plan the most important things they need to think about before their baby arrives. Other services could include wellbeing advice; Handicraft and cooking courses offered by partners online or in one-on-one discussions.

To ensure the wellbeing of partners who work long hours to meet customers' needs, the partnership establishes a support fund to support those facing additional costs due to the pandemic. like childcare costs. The partners are also offered free meals at work.

The partnership will also support the government's campaign to help people across the UK.