Organic vegetable box delivery companies are facing unprecedented demand for their food as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, putting huge strains on their packing lines.
Abel & Cole, which puts out 55,000 food boxes a week on average, has seen a more than 25% increase in orders, with its packing teams working at full capacity to cope.
Symptoms are defined by the NHS as either:
- a high temperature - you feel hot to touch on your chest or back
- a new continuous cough - this means you've started coughing repeatedly
NHS advice is that anyone with symptoms should stay at home for at least 7 days.
If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home.
After 14 days, anyone you live with who does not have symptoms can return to their normal routine. But, if anyone in your home gets symptoms, they should stay at home for 7 days from the day their symptoms start. Even if it means they're at home for longer than 14 days.
If you live with someone who is 70 or over, has a long-term condition, is pregnant or has a weakened immune system, try to find somewhere else for them to stay for 14 days.
If you have to stay at home together, try to keep away from each other as much as possible.
After 7 days, if you no longer have a high temperature you can return to your normal routine.
If you still have a high temperature, stay at home until your temperature returns to normal.
If you still have a cough after 7 days, but your temperature is normal, you do not need to continue staying at home. A cough can last for several weeks after the infection has gone.
Staying at home means you should:
- not go to work, school or public areas
- not use public transport or taxis
- not have visitors, such as friends and family, in your home
- not go out to buy food or collect medicine – order them by phone or online, or ask someone else to drop them off at your home
You can use your garden, if you have one. You can also leave the house to exercise – but stay at least 2 metres away from other people.
If you have symptoms of coronavirus, use the NHS 111 coronavirus service to find out what to do.
Source: NHS England on 23 March 2020
Abel & Cole on Friday told customers it was reducing its offer to its staple of vegetable boxes, rather than being able to offer its wider range. This was down to the ability of packers to get the boxes out, rather than any issue with supplies at this point in time.
‘“We are doing our utmost to feed people and get our boxes to them,” said a spokeswoman for the company. “Our team has been absolutely amazing. They are working flat out.”
Riverford has reported similar increases as regular customers increase the amount of food they are buying and the regularity of their box deliveries. Pressure on its packing lines has meant the company has had to stop taking any new orders this week or accepting new customers.
Abel & Cole has taken on more staff to cope, and Riverford has pulled staff off its marketing and administrative side to help pack.
Both companies are facing demand on the scale of its Christmas peak, but without having six months to prepare as they do before the festive season.
“This has been driven by those self-isolating for coronavirus or avoiding public shopping spaces to protect themselves by choosing home delivery, as well as the demand for healthy, organic food,” said Rob Haward, Riverford’s managing director.
Haward said there was no problem with its UK suppliers and it also imports from long-term growers in Spain and Italy, where there are no transportation problems.
Another food box delivery company, Oddbox, which operates in London and delivers food that would otherwise have gone to waste, has had to stop taking new orders as it faces “unprecedented levels of demand” as millions of people in London stay at home.
A milk delivery company that promises “eco-friendly” deliveries has also struggled to cope with unprecedented demand.
Milk & More, which also delivers groceries, including bread and juice, said a 1,500% increase in new customers over the past week meant it had stopped accepting new customers. It is also limiting the number of some household essentials that a customer can order to two items.
