The United Kingdom is temporarily relaxing elements of competition law as part of measures to allow supermarkets to work together to feed the nation. The move allows retailers to share data with each other on stock levels, cooperate to keep shops open, or share distribution depots and delivery vans, and to pool staff with one another to help meet demand.

Environment secretary George Eustice confirmed elements of the law would be temporarily waived in a meeting recently with chief executives from leading UK supermarkets and food industry representatives.

The government has also temporarily relaxed rules around drivers’ hours, so retailers can deliver more food to stores, and is waiving off the plastic bag charge for online purchases to speed up deliveries, according to an official release.

The support for supermarkets comes as the government and retailers continue to urge people to shop considerately and look out for their friends, family and neighbours.

Eustice welcomed the measures supermarkets are already taking to keep shelves stocked and supply chains resilient.

Welcoming the government decision, Andrew Opie, director of food & sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, said the exceptional step will help retailers and suppliers cope with problems that might be caused by wide-scale absences across the supply chain.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)

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