South Africans from around the country have, since the start of the national lockdown, made big and small contributions to grow the Shoprite Group’s Act for Change Fund to R1.2 million in support of the Solidarity Fund.
Governments worldwide are battling to determine the right trade response and keep supply chains flowing to industries and consumers as the Covid-19 pandemic escalates.
Shoprite Group, the biggest food retailer in Africa, had rolled out new social distancing and hygiene measures, including temperature testing and mobile clinics for its employees to help ensure its stores remained safe during the Covid-19 pandemic, the group said.
Many South Africans have never shopped online for essentials before, until the coronavirus pandemic hit our shores, which was then followed by a nationwide lockdown.
Four weeks ago, it was business as usual. Three weeks ago, it became business unusual. Two weeks ago, the national lockdown gutted a n entire industry and everything we thought we knew has come to naught.
The party’s trade and industry spokesperson Dean Macpherson said the confusion about what were considered “essential items” in grocery stores and pharmacies was unhelpful and should be ended.