Food wholesalers are pivoting to direct-to-consumer retail in the coronavirus crisis and this is seeing a surge in the number of ‘dark stores’. Food wholesalers in particular are taking this path to help safeguard their futures amid the dramatic decline in sales given the sudden shutdown of the hospitality industry. As more and more customers turn to online grocery shopping and delivery due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many wholesalers - and some retailers which have closed as they are deemed non-essential - are turning their brick and mortar locations into so-called ‘dark stores’ in order to keep up with demand. What is a dark store?  Dark stores are defined as retail outlets ...

As efforts to stop the spread of Covid-19 escalate around the world, attention has turned to how individuals and communities can protect one another. By flattening out the epidemic curve, this reduces the surge of cases at any one time, to prevent overwhelming the healthcare system. Independent retailers such as convenience stores, butchers, grocers and pharmacies are in the front line of this crisis. They are all providing vital public services to ensure that the most vulnerable people within communities can purchase essential items. Consumers, either by choice or under advice, are staying closer to home and shopping locally more ...

In the midst of this challenging environment, there is significant innovation by retail brands that have adopted technology to bridge the gap between the physical and online worlds.   As the virus is now at the forefront of everyone’s minds, dealing with its effect on everyday life has become crucial. When many areas of business are struggling, there are opportunities for others to flourish. One area of business that is helping economies stay afloat - and even grow - is e-commerce.   Retail is in the midst of a massive shift. By next year, online shopping was initially expected to ...

Are small retailers just the right size? Due to the sudden surge of online sales, many large supermarkets have been struggling to cope with the demand and online grocery upheaval. The ‘Big four’ supermarkets – Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Asda – continue tackle the rapid increase in online orders prompted by the coronavirus outbreak. Online grocer Ocado saw its website and app crashing multiple times as shoppers scurried to shop online in a bid to self-isolate. At one point, Ocado had a queue of almost 74,000 shoppers. Delivery slots were not available for days, with demand exceeding that of the ...

Our consumer habits will be forever changed by Covid-19. Given the uncertain times ahead, it is important to adapt technology to ensure local retailers can continue to trade safely and provide essential service to their customers and community. Prior to the current crisis E-commerce was already growing at an unprecedented rate. A study in January 2020 projected online sales to double by 2023. Covid-19 has significantly sped up this process. With the considerable change in consumer purchasing behaviours, now would seem like a good opportunity for local enterprises to capture their local markets. Mercury Order Retail, a click and collect ...