Special Edition: Industry Actions to Tackle Covid-19 and Support People
Friday 3 April 2020
The strength of the CGF lies in its collaborative efforts and ability to bring our industry together to discuss challenges impacting our people, our customers and our businesses, and to share best practices and knowledge. The world is now facing a pandemic not seen in our lifetime, but our industry is stepping up and showcasing exactly how business can be a force for good in difficult times.
We felt it important, therefore, to share exactly how our industry is making a difference and supporting people to get through this challenging time. Below is a selection of items from around the world.
To our members and your employees around the world, we thank you for your hard work and commitment.
Updated 26th May 2020
Nestlé donates supports CHF 1 million to support CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations) to help search for a COVID-19 vaccine
Supermarkets encourage social distancing and raise contactless payment limits
Amazon, Costco have ‘most favorable’ COVID-19 response, shoppers say
Significant support from Migros Ticaret and national bank collaboration to farmers (in Turkish)
Blédina France supports farmers promoting local purchases through interactive platforms (in French)
Danone Waters Poland supporting heroes in the front line with a complete action plan (in Polish)
Danone Uruguay donation to Pasteur Institute to accelerate the research against Covid-19 (in Spanish)
Spain Danone Activia encourages and helps people to take care of their well-being from their homes, and invite to share on facebook and Instagram #YoMeCuidoEnCasa (in Spanish)
L’Oréal launches €150m social and environmental fund to support coronavirus response
SPAR Italy has announced they are freezing the prices of own brand products for 2020 in preparation of a downturn in the economy
SPAR Austria re-opens its INTERSPAR restaurants today with all Covid-19 measures in place
SPAR UK partner launches online ordering platform to facilitate home deliveries
Lotte: supporting people around the world to overcome the crisis
Sonae MC, through Missão Continente, has been donating hundreds of tonnes of food and hygiene products, as well as individual protection equipment to multiple entities such as hospitals, municipalities and charity institutions; together with the Italian LAPS foundation, it launched the Nunca Desistir (Never Give Up) campaign in Portugal that raised over 630.000€ and offered an additional 150 tonnes of groceries to distribute and help families in need
Amcor uplifting stories: helping customers adapt to fight Covid-19
Nestlé: mobilising the entire value chain to launch a global Covid-19 response
Loblaw Companies Limited is investing to assist customers and colleagues in confronting COVID-19
Loblaw provides $5 million donation to get food and health essentials to Canada’s most vulnerable
Heineken has several actions in response to Covid-19 – in Brazil they joined forces with Unilever to produce and deliver ‘Cif Higienizador + Álcool cleaner’ to 210 communities in São Paulo. In Mexico they made donations of hand sanitiser, drinking water, and face masks. In Spain they have launched initiatives for every crisis by supporting bars and restaurants and helping the medical community.
SAVENCIA remains mobilised and united in the face of the COVID-19 crisis (in French)
Danone Mexico brings health to HCPs with yoghurt donations
Tesco COVID-19 updates – changes to online home delivery and Click+Collect
Amazon is proud to support nonprofit Nest for their PPE initiative, creating opportunities for artisans in need of employment and providing masks for frontline workers
Colgate supports the World Health Organization (WHO) #SafeHands effort to stop the spread of COVID-19
SPAR Spain has been contributing to multiple initiatives focused on getting vital food and financial aid to those in need
An Italian division of SPAR, Maiora, donated 100 tablets to school children to assist with home schooling
Migros launches online voucher to customers (in Turkish)
Johnson & Johnson shares: The Road to a Vaccine, an educational LIVE video series that profiles the global scientific collaborative work underway to develop a potential vaccine
Stop & Shop and the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union issued a joint statement calling on federal and state governments to designate associates at grocery stores as “extended first responders” or “emergency personnel”
Migros transformed some of its stores to dark stores to increase its online sales capacity (in Turkish)
SPAR France have advised they’re making some headway in reducing food waste, also now
Nestlé Philippines mounts Php 500 million Kasambuhay program for 1 million families, frontliners, its people as COVID-19 rages
Nestlé Portugal donated more than nine metric tons of food products and beverages to 70 hospitals and health institutions in the north and south of the country (in Portuguese)
Nestlé Algeria intends to play a key role in helping those who need it during the COVID-19 crisis (in French)
Kroger buys and redirects dairy farmers’ surplus milk to Feeding America food banks
Walmart to bring two-hour Express Delivery to 2,000 stores
Danone Canada has contributed $200,000 CAD to an emergency fund established by their 25-year partner, Breakfast Club of Canada, to help feed hungry children
GroceryAid launches Covid-19 fund for grocery colleagues in need
Aldi launches volunteer vouchers for vulnerable shoppers
Danone US Happy Family donating 140 000 servings of organic food and snacks to famiies in need in New York City area
Nestlé Guatemala donated 2,000 litres of Anchor and Nido Esencial milk, equivalent to 800 glasses, to school children from the public sector (in Spanish)
General Mills announces “manufacture to donate” initiative to address urgent hunger needs
Spain Danone: Activia encourages and helps people take care of their well-being from their homes, and invites them to share on Facebook and Instagram #YoMeCuidoEnCasa
Danone UK specialised and enteral nutrition provides BDA with guidelines to support Dietitian’s in for Intensive Care Units
Kroger ‘Blueprint for Businesses’ offers cross-industry coronavirus action plan
Danone Morocco contributes for 1M€ to the solidarity Covid-19 fiund initiated by the King Mohammed VI, and is mobilized to provide milk to the whole population (in French)
How Amazon is taking care of their employees while fulfilling their customers orders
Nestlé’s global response to Covid-19: a 360° overview and sustaining the efforts across regions
Surfing uncertainty: the role of purpose and culture in organizational resilience
SPAR Italyhas donated €500.000 to the Spallanzani Institute in Rome
Waitrose to treble Rapid deliveries and increase click and collect slots by 50%
Walgreens recently announced plans to expand drive-thru COVID-19 testing to 15 new sites in seven states
Walgreens has expanded its Find Care™ platform to virtually connect customers with more than 30 providers who treat over 100 conditions
Aldi UK to sell food online for first time during coronavirus crisis
Eurocash: mobile stores make life easier in isolation (in Polish)
The Eurocash Group advises entrepreneurs how to take advantage of the Anti-Crisis Shield concessions (in Polish)
BRF announces the donation of BRL 50 million worth of food, medical supplies and support to research and social development funds, to contribute to the efforts made to fight the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
How PEFC forestry is adapting to Covid19 context, especially adding flexibility in the audit format and timing where necessary to maintain responsible sourcing possible
Walgreens has donated $100,000 to the CDC Foundation’s Emergency Response Fund to help ensure financial resources are deployed to local community foundations and nonprofits working to support U.S. residents
Boots UK has teamed up with The Hygiene Bank to provide 200,000 toiletries to NHS (National Health Service) staff working in hospitals across the U.K.
SPAR Spain partner Grupo Upper support distribution of essential foods
Continente offers home delivery to senior customers
SPAR Denmark rolls out doorstep grocery delivery service
REWE offers priority online delivery service for medical workers
Agroknow offers free access to global food safety platform
South Africa’s Woolworths offers drive-through service to help shoppers avoid stores
Aldi launches online grocery service to help vulnerable customers
Online retailer Approved Food urges households not to throw out stockpiled food
Indian FMCG companies help modernise kirana stores
Exclusive discounts for health care professionals from Migros Ticaret
Coronavirus: Amazon builds its own testing lab for staff
Unilever joins consortium which will make ventilators for UK hospitals
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative’s award winning environmental education program Project Learning Tree provides parents with guidance on many learning activities to safely do with children at home during the COVID-19 crises
EuroCommerce launches website with industry actions
X5 Retail Group rolls out self-service tech developed in-house
Grupo Exito releases the “Mercado para Colombia” card to promote Colombians citizens to help those in need (in Spanish)
Nutresa will provide groceries to more tan 700.000 people (in Spanish)
Nestlé Switzerland: support worth over CHF 1 million to organizations active in humanitarian aid (Red Cross), intensive care units in Swiss hospitals and the Swiss army, as well as providing delivery and support services to local communities (in French)
eBay launches “Up & Running” to immediately bring small businesses online
City Holdings: keeping the spirit high to combat Covid-19
Carrefour Italia rolls out pre-packaged kits with essential goods
X5 Retail Group shares initiatives to support small and medium enterprises
M&S, Lidl, Aldi, Danone and Coca-Cola European Partners support Neighbourly in launching a series of micro-grants to support good causes that are helping communities affected by the new Coronavirus outbreak
One Young World launches first episode of #TogetherApart Series: Paul Polman
Donations from Brazilian companies help tackle Coronavirus challenges (in Portuguese)
ChangeNOW: Get inspired by these amazing international influencers, innovators, explorers, investors, etc., sharing their experience, expertise and vision for a sustainable and inclusive world
L’ADEME & the BPI are running an innovation challenge providing from 500k to 5M€ to startups and SMIs (in French)
Sequoia Capital provides guidance to CEO and founders on how to ensure the health of their business with meaningful insights and advices
Facebook for Business is offering $100M in cash grants and ad credits for up to 30,000 eligible small businesses in over 30 countries where they operate (in German)
BPI France activated exceptional measures to support French companies (in French)
Nestlé: Working hard to ensure that people have essential food and beverage products
Coronavirus: M&S store staff get bonus for coming into work
Nestlé rewards the efforts of its front line employees in Switzerland
South African retailers work together during Covid-19 crisis
Danone will provide 100.000 bottles of Evian 33cl to improve the availability of hydro alcoholic gel in pharmacies in France (in French)
Danone China collaborates with the China Red Cross and contributes with Yuan 23 million (cash, goods, ambulances…)
Danone Waters Spain supports the heroes with Fontvella water and acknowledgment with the Red Cross and Food Banks
Makro Spain launches “Unopuntosiete” initiative to support hospitality sector (in Spanish)
NIVEA producer Beiersdorf steps up its international support program to a 50 million Euro pledge
Beiersdorf supports the fight against COVID-19 by pledging 50 million Euro to a support program, providing 500 tons of disinfectant in Europe and donating disinfectant to the fire department in Hamburg and Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (in German)
McDonald’s staff supports Aldi operations (in French)
Tyson Foods Commits $13 Million in COVID-19 Hunger Relief and Community Support
Coronavirus: “All wages guaranteed for the next 3 months” at Danone
SPAR Austria helps shoppers go cashless with voucher cards
SPAR Croatia increases protective measures for self-checkout assistants
SPAR Switzerland offers home delivery service to vulnerable customer groups
Our latest response to COVID-19: a message to customers from Dave Lewis, Tesco CEO
FSA publishes guidance for food businesses on coronavirus (COVID-19)
Grupo Exito will be be offering more than 500.000 basic groceries to unemployed citizens (in Spanish)
Grupo Éxito presents the “White Line” to offer free delivery of products to health personnel (in Spanish)
Beijing community-based service centers have been established by local retail companies Wumei and Dmall in residential communities in Shijingshan and Fangshan districts
Wumart allocates more than $40m to curb prices amid outbreak
JD.com to launch unmanned robot delivery fleet in quarantined Wuhan
Colgate-Palmolive: “Optimism in Action” by staying connected globally, caring for our employees and prioritizing the production of products to help keep people healthy
Danone is taking exceptional measures to protect its 100 000 employees and its partners and local ecosystems and ensure food supply continuity to people
Daymon: Updated IDC Retail News – special edition on Coronavirus
Lotte: Implementing proactive protective measures to overcome COVID-19
Hormel Foods‘ CEO shares message of hope: “Look to China and see ‘we can and will come out’ of Coronavirus pandemic” (complete coverage on crisis and actions: Hormel Foods Newsroom)
Х5 Retail Group: “Pandemic brings ‘S’ back to ESG, Russian business responds” (bne Intellinews); other actions on Twitter profile
Maspex donates 1 million food and beverage products to hospitals fighting with the pandemic
Hormel Foods reports on its COVID-19 actions and community support; company pledges $1 million to hunger-relief causes
BrewDog begins making hand sanitiser amid shortages in UK
Lawson‘s news release: cooperation for approach of new coronavirus infection prevention (in Japanese)
L’Oréal launches a Europe-wide coronavirus solidarity programme
Kellogg contributes funds and food to global COVID-19 food relief
Retailers act to protect seniors from coronavirus shopping chaos and contamination
French Minister of Finance and Minister of Agriculture write letter of thanks to agri-food sector for secruing the manufacturing process and supplying French consumers during crucial period (in French).
Conad‘s CEO Francesco Pugliese: “Let’s not add confusion to fear, everything is availale in supermarkets” (in Italian)
Grupo Exito‘s measures to mitigate the impacts of Covid-19 (in Spanish)
Ambev turns Brazil beer brewery into sanitizer plant to help coronavirus fight
Pingo Doce: Open letter to customers (in Portuguese)
Fenalco‘s (Colombia’s national federation of merchants) sends open letter to the people about importance of industry collaboration (in Spanish)
E. Leclerc cooperative video to ensure no shortages (in French)
Delhaize: Belgian supermarket chain moves to protect older people from coronavirus
Amazon prioritizing shipments for medical supplies, household staples during coronavirus crisis
Polish food retailers to start operating on Sunday to reduce congestion during Covid-19 pandemic
Migros Ticaret shares infographics on social media, in-store and via email to support efforts against the Covid-19 virus: hygiene process and seven ways to avoid viruses
The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation commits $3 million to help combat food insecurity during pandemic
Unilever announces Covid-19 actions for all employees
