Deliveroo offers M&S deliveries from BP garages for self-isolated during coronavirus lockdown

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Ellena Cruse24 March 2020

Deliveroo is offering Marks & Spencer delivery from BP forecourts while the nation stays at home to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Customers can order products including milk, bread and juices, and a range of pizzas and ready-meals without a delivery fee from 120 M&S franchises, the firms announced.

The news comes as the UK death toll hit 335 and the Prime Minister brought in new emergency police powers allowing officers to fine people in the street and break up groups of two or more.

Boris Johnson warned during a Monday public briefing that only key workers should leave their homes to work and everyone else should only go out for infrequent essential food trips and for exercise.

Deliveroo also said it has launched a separate "essentials" service to enable customers to buy tinned goods including pasta and household items.

Customers in Cambridge have been able to make orders since last week and early results led to the decision to roll the scheme out across Reading, Brighton, Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds and London over the next two weeks.

Deliveroo, which also operates in around a dozen international markets, added similar schemes will be introduced in the United Arab Emirates, France, Spain and Australia.

Deliveroo chief executive Will Shu said: “We want to do everything possible to help people get the food they want and need during this worrying period.

“We hope we can play a role in supporting people who have to isolate to get the food they need, whether that’s household items or restaurant food.”

Deliveroo has continued to operate throughout the outbreak, and could benefit from restaurants shutting down and only being allowed to offer takeaways and deliveries.

Its riders, who are considered “self-employed”, have had a hardship fund set up and any forced to self-isolate are receiving payment on providing a doctor’s note.

However, unions have warned that riders are struggling to get notes from overstretched health services.

Last week, Uber Eats said it will offer free delivery for independent restaurant partners as part of a set of relief measures for businesses affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

The takeaway delivery business said it is also waiving registration fees for new restaurants signing up until at least the end of the month.

Delivery operators have reported a surge of restaurants attempting to join their services in recent days, after the Government called on people to avoid going to pubs, restaurants and cafes.

Both are operating hands-free deliveries – leaving food on doorsteps to enforce social distancing – if requested by customers.

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