Petition supermarkets to grant free deliveries to the elderly and at risk. · petition

What the petition asks

With elderly and at risk individuals having less access to transport to obtain vital products such as sanitising products their jeopardy of COVID 19 is magnified. On gaining access often shelves are empty. Stores could pick these items first and deliver them free of charge to those groups.

In order to gain momentum for this idea government backing and the platform it offers could create sufficient pressure on the retailers to do the right thing and help contain this pandemic on our shores. The cost to the retailer would be negligible versus the cost to the NHS and human mortality. Government financial support could ease this burden on the retailers too. Crucially, it would mitigate the impact the selfish are having on our most needy.

Why it was rejected

It asked for something that is not the responsibility of the UK Government or Parliament.

The opening and delivery arrangements for supermarkets are a matter for individual retailers, not the Government or Parliament. A number of retailers have announced plans to open early and set aside delivery slots for elderly or vulnerable customers. You should contact your local supermarket to find out if they have put such arrangements in place.

The Government has made certain changes to enable supermarkets to work together during the coronavirus outbreak, particularly to serve customers who are elderly, ill or vulnerable: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/supermarkets-to-join-forces-to-feed-the-nation

You can find out more about coronavirus and how you can protect yourself and others here:

NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

UK Government website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public

Timeline

16 Mar 2020	Petition opened for signatures
24 Mar 2020	Rejected by the Petitions Committee