What are food businesses doing during the Coronavirus outbreak?

In the UK, Food Businesses such as Just Eat, Deliveroo and UberEats are having to adapt to the Coronavirus outbreak. With the rise of coronavirus cases, it has meant food businesses are having to introduce a “contactless” drop-off service so that riders and customers can practice “social distancing”. This strategy has the clear aim of minimising human contact to decrease the chance of the virus being passed on from one person to another.

These food companies are in contact with the government regarding helping people who are vulnerable. According to the NHS, you are at a higher risk if you suffer from chronic medical conditions, such as lung and heart disease. Older people are also at higher risk than younger people. This has struck talks with providing care packages for the elderely as they are advised to self-isolate for up to four months, even if they do not have symptoms of coronavirus.

Deliveroo has over 30,000 riders and is investigating ways to supply food to the elderly, even if they are unable to use apps easily. The impact on such food businesses are so far unknown, and the long-term impact on trade and sourcing around the world. Small local food businesses and restaurants face huge financial problems due to the government’s advice to avoid unnecessary social contact. This could cause many businesses to go into serious debt and many might have to close their doors for good.

For the latest updates, read our Coronavirus blog here and visit our social media sites to keep up to date with the latest information on how businesses are being affected by the outbreak.