Supermarket showdown: who's at the front of the queue?

Streetbees Team
April 30, 2020

How can consumer brands help society right now - especially when they may be struggling to stay afloat themselves?

Consumers want companies to support them through this difficult time - they’re looking for information, advice, and heartfelt communications that aren’t focused on selling products or services. 

This is particularly difficult for businesses currently unable to trade due to lockdown restrictions - meaning those still open and seen as essential are automatically going to be in front of mind. Of course, that can be a double-edged sword - as having greater visibility can always lead to a backlash.

A graphic showing an insight from Streetbees' Covid-19 Human Impact Tracker

So how have these businesses adapted their processes and implemented new initiatives to help the public?

Time to ketchup. In just one week, Tesco fulfilled one million grocery deliveries after adding 400k more available slots. It’s not stopping there - the grocery chain is aiming for 1.2m deliveries a week to support its most vulnerable customers. Tesco isn’t the only one though - all supermarket chains are having to drastically increase their delivery offerings to keep up with demand as the lockdown continues. 

A basket of firsts. Aldi is entering the online grocery business - offering 22-item food parcels for £24.99 each. On top of this, the chain is also selling gift vouchers online to allow family, friends, and volunteers to shop for those unable to make it to the store - Sainsbury’s also provides a similar service called ‘Volunteer Shopping Cards’. With cash increasingly difficult for people to get ahold of, this is a great way to get people the supplies they need without increasing risk to them or their volunteers. 

An unexpected apportunity. One furloughed web designer has put his extra time to good use - creating the ‘Supermarket Check-In’ app that allows people to both submit and check their local supermarket queues and stock level information. This will be useful even after lockdown, as fear of the virus remains high and the public continues to follow social distancing. 

Take a pop at it. While the hospitality industry has been hit particularly hard by the lockdown, some business owners are getting creative. Unable to trade in their usual ways, pubs and cafes are being turned into pop-up convenience and grocery stores - providing a smaller, less crowded space for consumers to pick up their essentials. The ingenuity and resilience that the business world is currently showing right now is nothing short of incredible!  

To learn more about how Streetbees helps brands stay close to the consumer, click here.