Supermarkets take on more staff as home deliveries soar

DutchNews, April 24, 2020

Photo: DutchNews.nl

Dutch supermarkets are taking on hundreds of extra workers to cope with the increasing demand for home deliveries, broadcaster NOS said on Friday. 

Customers are not only ordering online more frequently, but are buying more food as well – because they are no longer eating out at the office or in cafes and restaurants, NOS said. 

Demand for home deliveries from Albert Heijn and the Coop supermarkets has gone up five-fold. Picnic, which only offers online shopping has seen demand triple while Jumbo reports a 50% increase. 

Demand is so high that customers are being faced with delivery delays stretching from several days to two weeks. Picnic has been forced to drop its pledge for next day deliveries, NOS said. 

Market research group IRI suggests that supermarket turnover so far this year has reached €11.4bn, a rise of €1bn on 2019. This, according to the CNV trade union federation, should encourage supermarkets to give all staff a bonus. 

‘A lot is being asked of staff,’ spokeswoman Jacqueline Twerda said. ‘They are facing increasing pressure, they have to be flexible and they are coming into constant contact with others. Supermarket sales are soaring, but they see nothing back.’ 

The FNV trade union says it would prefer a structural pay rise for supermarket staff. 

The current supermarket sector pay and conditions deal expired on April 1.