Bradford-based Morrisons launches dedicated telesales shopping service for elderly and vulnerable customers

Bosses at Morrisons have received many calls from customers who are self isolating, or elderly and unable to visit a shop.

Some have little food in their store cupboard and have never used online ordering.

These customers will be able to place orders with Morrisons over the phone.

The delivery will be made the following day by a staff from their local store, which have appointed community champions.

Shoppers can choose from a ‘takeaway’ menu of 47 essential groceries with options including milk, butter, eggs, potatoes, pasta, bananas, cornflakes and flour and pay for delivery on their doorstep via a mobile chip and pin device

David Potts, Morrisons' chief executive said: "We are playing our full part in feeding the nation and ensuring those that are most in need can receive a delivery from a familiar face at Morrisons. This new telephone service will ensure that more people who can’t leave their home to go shopping will be able to get a delivery.”

The Morrisons Community Champions will also be identifying customers who need support and offering it on a postcard through their door. Customers will be able to ring them directly if they need their shopping delivered.

Those vulnerable and elderly customers who do come to stores will also be offered a helping hand from colleagues wearing ‘love to help’ t-shirts.

To help support this new service, Morrisons has invested in a van for every one of its 494 stores so that colleagues can drop the shopping off on a customer’s doorstep.

Customers who wish to place an order should phone 0345 611 6111 and select option five.

Morrisons is already helping elderly and vulnerable people by expanding its home delivery service and making more slots available to customers both through Morrisons.com and the Morrisons Store on Amazon Prime Now.

It is also rolling out rolling out food boxes and has partnered up with Deliveroo to allow customers to order from a range of essentials delivered to their door by a Deliveroo rider on the same day.

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