Coronavirus: Morrisons launches click and collect food boxes for NHS workers struggling to buy groceries

Boxes can be collected by staff from hospital car parks

Morrisons is launching a click and collect food box service from hospital car parks to help NHS staff who are struggling to buy essential groceries during the coronavirus pandemic.

The click and collect service, which will launch at St James's Hospital and Leeds General Infirmary on Thursday, aims to help key workers who may be finding it difficult to get the food they need.

Morrisons has responded with a designated click and collect site within hospital car parks making it easy for staff to pick up their groceries after their shift has ended.

The boxes are available for vegetarians and meat eaters, and are priced at £30 each.

A typical box will include a variety of items such as canned baked beans, soup and pasta sauce, milk, dairy products such as butter and cheese, bread, rice and pasta, vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots and onions and essential household items.

While the Vegetarian Food Box includes vegetarian proteins such as meat free sausages and mince, the Meat Food Box includes fresh meat such as chicken or beef.

Starting with NHS staff at the two Leeds hospitals, orders can be placed now via a dedicated website for staff, with collections on Monday and Thursday between 6-8am for night shifts and 4-6pm for day shifts.

A spokesperson for the supermarket told The Independent that while the initiative is currently only available in Leeds, it is working to bring the NHS click and collect boxes to more hospitals as soon as it can.

David Potts, Morrisons chief executive, said: “At this important time, the National Health Service is supporting the whole country so we need to support them too.

“We will be taking this service to many more hospitals to help feed NHS staff as they face into the challenges of treating people affected by the coronavirus pandemic.”

The boxes are available for NHS staff to collect from hospital car parks (Morrisons) (© Victor De Jesus/ UNP 0845 600 7737)

The move follows a number of calls from doctors and nurses on social media for people to stop stockpiling groceries.

Earlier this month, Dawn Bilbrough recorded an emotional plea to shoppers to stop buying more than they needed during the coronavirus outbreak.

She said she didn’t know how she was supposed to stay healthy to be able to care for patients when there was no fruit, veg or basic foods available.

The boxes are available for vegetarians and meat eaters (Morrisons) (© Victor De Jesus/ UNP 0845 600 7737)

“You just need to stop it,” she said, “because it’s people like me that are going to be looking after you when you’re at your lowest so just stop it. Please.”

Morrison’s recently launched a range of food boxes for the general public, which aim to provide food to people who are struggling to place orders online.

According to the website, each box includes “a selection of everyday items” dependent on current availability and come in two options: vegetarian or meat.

Morrisons is working to bring the NHS click and collect boxes to more hospitals as soon as it can (Morrisons) (© Victor De Jesus/ UNP 0845 600 7737)

Elderly or vulnerable customers – such as those with underlying health issues who have been ordered to remain indoors – are prioritised. The boxes cost £30, with a £5 delivery fee on top and contain enough ingredients to feed two adults for one week.

Marks & Spencer has since followed suit, introducing a food box for their customers that costs £35 and contains everything from tinned meat and fish, to pasta, toilet roll, shortbread and Percy Pigs.