John Lewis temporarily suspends click and collect services

Retailer John Lewis has announced that it is temporarily suspending its click and collect services based within its department stores.

In a statement, the retailer said that it was “conscious of the increased need to remove reasons for non essential travel during the current lockdown, to help encourage the public to stay at home” and would be switching off its click and collect in-store services to new orders at the close of business today, January 12.

In addition, John Lewis’ in-home services and installations teams will now carry out a “significantly reduced range of activities in customers’ homes,” with the department store explaining that it is pausing services which are “not essential to the health and wellbeing of customers and their families”. All existing bookings will be honoured where the customer still wishes to proceed, but no further bookings for non-essential services will be accepted.

The retail group said that strengthening covid safety measures are being introduced to make shopping even safer for its customers and employees.

Andrew Murphy, executive director, operations at John Lewis Partnership, said in a statement: “We are acutely aware that the country is at a critical point in the pandemic and are constantly thinking about how best the Partnership and our Partners can play our part in limiting the spread and impact of the virus.

“We’ve listened carefully to the clear change in tone and emphasis of the views and information shared by the UK’s governments in recent days. While we recognise that the detail of formal guidance has not changed, we feel it is right for us - and in the best interests of our Partners and customers - to take proactive steps to further enhance our covid-security and related operational policies.”

Waitrose to make face coverings mandatory in its supermarkets

In Waitrose supermarkets, face coverings to be mandatory, unless medically exempt or under the required age. This new policy will be rolled out over the next few days with marshals positioned at the entrances of all supermarkets. They will have disposable masks available for customers who do not have their own and will deny admission to anyone refusing to comply. They will also be ensuring that, wherever possible, only one member of each household is permitted to shop.

Employees in Waitrose shops will also now be required to wear face coverings when behind protective perspex screens and in back of house areas, in addition to the other areas where this rule already applies.

Murphy, added: “By insisting on the wearing of face coverings, over and above the social distancing measures we already have in place, we aim to make our shops even safer for customers.

“Meanwhile, we will reduce the range of services we are offering to carry out in customers’ homes, focusing only on those which are essential in order for customers to maintain their health and wellbeing and that of their families. We also want to help the national effort by removing reasons for non essential travel, so we have decided to suspend click and collect services from our John Lewis shops.”

Image: courtesy of John Lewis