John Lewis suspends click & collect service as it strengthens Covid safety measures

The John Lewis Partnership has announced a series of changes to its operations to make shopping safer for its customers and staff during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The partnership has temporarily suspended click & collect services based within John Lewis shops as it looks to help in the effort to remove reasons for non-essential travel during the current lockdown.

In addition, John Lewis’s in-home services and installations teams will now carry out a “significantly reduced” range of activities in customers’ homes and some services will be paused. However, all existing bookings will be honoured where the customer still wishes to proceed, but no further bookings for non-essential services will be accepted.

Andrew Murphy, Waitrose executive director, operations said: “We are acutely aware that the country is at a critical point in the pandemic and are constantly thinking about how best the Partnership and our Partners can play our part in limiting the spread and impact of the virus”.

“We’ve listened carefully to the clear change in tone and emphasis of the views and information shared by the UK’s governments in recent days. While we recognise that the detail of formal guidance has not changed, we feel it is right for us – and in the best interests of our Partners and customers – to take proactive steps to further enhance our covid-security and related operational policies.”

In line with other supermarkets, Waitrose will now insist that all customers wear a face covering when entering its stores unless they are medically exempt or under the required age.  The supermarket will have marshals stationed at the store entrances who will have disposable masks available for customers who do not have their own. People niot complying with the rule will be denied entry.  In addition, Waitrose will try to ensure that only one member of each household is permitted to shop.

Murphy added: “By insisting on the wearing of face coverings, over and above the social distancing measures we already have in place, we aim to make our shops even safer for customers.”