Around the world, governments and businesses are currently trying to create contingency plans in attempts to deal with the COVID-19 crisis which is affecting trade in all industries.

In the UK, supermarkets are facing issues with the surge of customers online and in-store. Many large grocers are struggling to maintain shelves stocked as customers clear out sanitary and long-shelf-life products. The primary issue is with the volume of products purchased per customer, as many stores do not have enough staff to restock shelves at a faster rate.

The surges are also being experienced online, and many grocer’s websites are crashing due to the number of customers trying to schedule deliveries in attempts to avoid visiting the supermarket. Even Ocado, a large digital retailer with automated warehouse processes are struggling to keep up, have shared that their app and website crashed on Friday.

What next?

Without the government outlining a specific strategy, there is much speculation about how businesses and people will continue to operate.

One of the strategies currently in consideration is extending the number of hours that drivers are legally able to work, in attempts to reduce the strain of surges in shopping. Morrisons is now remunerating its suppliers much faster, offering 48-hour payments instead of the customary 14-day window. Andrex, the toilet paper manufacturer has also announced on its social platforms that the company is not going to be experience a shortage in stock and that there are efforts to establish faster supply delivery in the following weeks.

In the world of eCommerce, Amazon are still trying to maintain order in the marketplace by monitoring sellers to prevent any price gouging which is an ongoing battle as more sellers attempt to exploit desperate consumers.

So, it seems that while there is no set plan that businesses are advised to follow, companies are still working hard to provide all the essential goods and supplies. Keeping track of the news and following all the safety measures that are recommended by experts is the best strategy for staying safe.

We’ll bring you all the latest updates and analyse the market. In the meantime, stay safe and don’t take unnecessary risks.