Waitrose is launching a series of initiatives that aim to support its most vulnerable suppliers in the UK and overseas during the coronavirus outbreak.
These include providing financial aid to global farming communities with funds focused on the most vulnerable countries within the supermarkets’ food supply chain.
Waitrose is also promising quicker payments to the most vulnerable suppliers, while reinforcing its commitment to support small British producers in areas such as meat and dairy.
The retailer stated that it continues to pay fair prices, work hand in hand with its farmers, and support sales of UK produce, including promotions across key categories. Waitrose’s buying teams are said to be working on a daily basis with the many family-run businesses that provide local produce to its stores. It is aiming to ensure that the most vulnerable suppliers are included in key decision-making processes and continue to have a platform to sell their products.
Meanwhile, Waitrose has partnered with other retailers to help finance a series of webinars with global food suppliers. The webinars include talks from a variety of experts across the UK’s food retail industry to provide education and learnings on topics such as social distancing, furloughing and transport & accommodation.
Waitrose is also continuing support to farming bodies and charities in the UK. It stated that its teams were actively engaged with several working groups, including retailers, key farming organisations such as the NFU and other stakeholders.
Rupert Thomas, Director of Food & Grocery at Waitrose, commented: “The John Lewis Partnership was founded on the principle that we have a responsibility to others and that we must treat people fairly, which extends to our Partners, customers, suppliers and the communities that we trade with, including those outside of the UK.
“This pandemic poses the greatest humanitarian and economic threat of our generation and, whilst we face many difficult decisions, as a collective industry we must continue to look at ways we can help to protect people and their livelihoods during this unprecedented time. The measures we have put in place are just the start and we will continue to do everything we can to provide support to our suppliers and the people who form part of them, particularly those that are most vulnerable.”
NAM Implications:
- Recognition of the realities of the supplier-retailer order cycle i.e. average retail stockturn/days credit vs payment period.
- Working with other retailers – old Japanese retail quip: ‘Of course we compete, but only on certain things’
- Hat-tip to Waitrose…
