Food suppliers and events operators have called on the Government to make coronavirus grants easier to access as they warned they face a “cliff edge”.
A group of 18 trade associations representing food manufacturers supplying the hospitality and healthcare sectors have written to the Chancellor calling for more funding and improved availability of cash through current grant schemes.
The group, led by the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF), has called for some financial support measures for pubs, restaurants and cafes to be extended to the food supply sector.
BFFF chief executive Richard Harrow said suppliers first raised the issue with ministers in May and that seven months later, many of the food producers are on the verge of going out of business.
Fears of a return to panic buying as shoppers are urged to be considerate and buy as normal
Asda announced that it would be further increasing its online delivery capacity by 50,000 slots a week
6 January 2021 • 8:00pm
Empty shelves at a branch of Asda in London earlier this week
Credit: Tim Merry
The grocer also encouraged its customers to play their part by being considerate and shopping as normal.
It also said it would be further increasing its online delivery capacity by 50,000 slots a week, after it had already increased it by 90 per cent since March.
Several grocers, including Tesco and Sainsbury’s have doubled their capacity since the pandemic began.