Retailer tweaks warehousing operations to ensure continuity of essential supplies

Simon Arora, B&M
Simon Arora

Discount retailer B&M is introducting changes to ensure it can continue to keep its stores stocked with vital grocery and food products during the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

Illustrating the pressure its retail network has come under recently the business, based in Speke, South Liverpool, said within the past week their stores have seen more than seven million customers come through the door, with most looking to pick up essential store cupboard items.

Products such as toilet rolls have seen a massive surge in sales (300% increase), as well as hand wash (1,200%), tinned tuna (583%) and even Pot Noodles (610%).

Now, bosses have revealed that they’ve made big changes behind the scenes to ensure continuity of deliveries.

Their six warehouses across the UK have switched focus to grocery items, prioritising those that are most in demand such as food, cleaning products and toiletries.

Warehouses run 24-hours a day and more than 3,400 deliveries have been made to stores to ensure that they get a continuous flow of new stock.

B&M chief executive Simon Arora said: “We want to thank customers for their feedback, we’ve lost count of the number of times our staff have been thanked for keeping certain essential lines in stock when other stores in the town had run out.

“Our warehouse and store teams are certainly tired on their feet, but morale is high and we are proud that we are playing our little bit to allow shoppers to buy their grocery and cleaning needs in readiness for the difficult times ahead.”

He added: “We have prioritised food, toiletries and cleaning over non-grocery in all our warehouses and on our lorries. If we are out of stock when customers visit, they should try and return as most stores do receive a large new delivery every day.”

Items in demand include: Hand wash, up by 1,200%, Paracetamol (388%), Calpol (274%), disinfectant liquid (903%), Zoflora (421%), toilet roll (301%), Pot Noodle (610%), tomato soup (453%), corned beef (328%), pasta (828%), spaghetti hoops tin (817%), tinned tuna (583%), cat litter (208%), cat food (226%), and dog food (233%).

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