As the ‘pingdemic’ forces workers in the United Kingdom to isolate, fashion retailers are being forced to close shops. Pingdemic refers to being notified by the National Health Service (NHS) Test and Trace app on the smartphone, which implies advice to self-isolate for a set duration. The opening of a new department store has also been delayed because of this.

Fashion retailer Seasalt reportedly had to close five of its stores for a day each last week due to workers being pinged by the NHS app and forced to self-isolate.

More and more UK retail staff are being forced to stay home as cases surge in the aftermath of the government dropping all COVID restrictions across the country.

Several grocers have attributed the increasing gaps on their shelves to workers being forced to self-isolate. Some retailers are being forced to operate with reduced store hours.

The pingdemic is also hampering the opening of new retail sites. The phased opening of the newly restored Bobby & Co department store in Bournemouth, which was set to begin on August 7, has been delayed until September 9 as builders working on the project have been forced to self-isolate.

Despite concerns, the government announced that retail store staff have not been included in the government’s list of key workers who will become exempt from the latest COVID self-isolation rules. Around 10,000 workers in the food supply chain industry are set to become exempt from the rules.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)

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