Online only shopping giant Ocado has temporarily suspended its service as it struggles to keep up with demand amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The 海角视频’s biggest online-only supermarket’s website currently has a message, telling customers it is working around the clock, that it is experiencing "a simply staggering amount of traffic" to its website and more demand for products and deliveries than it could meet.
It says existing customers with orders would still receive them, but that it is suspending its service for a few days to make some changes.
The statement to customers reads: “Like all supermarkets, we are working round the clock to keep up with high demand and make sure all of our customers get what they need at this time – especially those more vulnerable and in isolation.
“As a result, we have made a decision to temporarily suspend access to Ocado.com for a few days in order to make some changes to our service. This will allow us to better serve our customers, particularly the vulnerable and elderly.
“We are fully booked and at full capacity, and will be delivering to over 170,000 households in the next four days. If you have a delivery booked for Thursday or Friday, cut-off times for editing these orders have already passed, but your driver will still arrive as expected.
“We will soon contact customers with orders for delivery from Saturday onwards with details of how to edit their orders, and all customers will be able to access the website again from Saturday.”
The firm said it has seen growth double in March as the business is overwhelmed by orders from people staying indoors to avoid the coronavirus pandemic.
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The retailer revealed it has seen a massive increase in trading since the three-month period ending March 1.
“The impact of higher basket values and order demand, amid growing public concern over the coronavirus, was limited in the (first) quarter, although this has since picked up significantly and growth in the second quarter is so far double that of the first quarter,” said Ocado Retail chief executive Melanie Smith.
All supermarkets have faced a major upswing in demand for some items, with shelves emptied of toilet paper, many canned goods and cereals.
Ocado said it was working with suppliers to increase stock in some categories.
Despite this major increase, Ocado sounded a cautious note, keeping its financial guidance steady for the year, as an increase now could give way to a fall later, as customers burn through their stockpiles.
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Ocado Retail’s revenue jumped by 10.3% to £441.2 million in the first quarter of the year, which Ms Smith said was largely not affected by the spread of Covid-19.
Meanwhile, food-on-the-go favourite Greggs has now closed all restaurant seating areas in response to the outbreak.
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The firm has announced late on Wednesday that all of its restaurants will only offer a takeaway service with Click & Collect and Greggs Delivery available in select locations, with customers asked to pay by contactless where possible.
Customer toilets are closed, water refill stations will no longer be in use and all condiment units including milk jugs, sugar sachets, cutlery, hot drinks stirrers and napkins will be kept behind the counter but are available upon request.
The announcement from Greggs came shortly after department store chain Fenwick, headquartered in Newcastle, announced that all its stores will be closing until further notice after today, Thursday, March 19.
confirmed in a statement that all its outlets would be shut temporarily from 6pm on Thursday.
A spokesperson said the closure was necessary in order to protect the health and wellbeing of its staff and customers as the Covid-19 crisis deepens.
The move affects nine Fenwick stores around the 海角视频.
The firm said: "As a family business, the health and wellbeing of our customers, our teams and our local communities is always close to our heart and in these times of great uncertainty we need to do the right thing for them by mitigating the potential spread of the coronavirus.