Lidl donates thousands of fresh fruit and veg bags to NHS staff while at work

LDIL is donating thousands of bags containing fresh fruit and vegetables to NHS workers across the UK. The discounter has teamed up with Royal Voluntary Service charity to make sure those on the frontline maintain a healthy diet. ⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates The hampers will be delivered […]

LDIL is donating thousands of bags containing fresh fruit and vegetables to NHS workers across the UK.

The discounter has teamed up with Royal Voluntary Service charity to make sure those on the frontline maintain a healthy diet.

Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

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The hampers will be delivered directly to hospitals up and down the country so staff can take them home at the end of their shift.

Christian Härtnagel, boss at Lidl GB, said: “We are so grateful to the NHS and all of its staff for their hard work every day to help keep the nation safe.

“This is our small gesture to say thank you, and help provide NHS staff, who may not be able to get into store regularly for basic groceries, with fresh fruit and vegetables.

“We hope that through working with Royal Voluntary service to donate these bags to hospitals, we can help make a difference to their daily life.”

Many supermarkets, including Tesco and Morrisons, have dedicated special opening hours to NHS staff to make sure they are able to get what they need.

Despite retail bosses and the government insisting that there’s “enough food for everyone” if the public shops normally, customers are still stockpiling items like tinned goods, pasta and toiletries.

Critical care nurse Dawn Bilbrough made a tearful and desperate plea for people to stop hoarding after she was unable to buy basic foods at the end of a long 48-hour shift.

Many supermarkets are limiting the number of customers allowed in stores at any one time to make sure shoppers are abiding by new social distancing rules.

This is where people stand at least two metres – six feet – apart to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

Today, Aldi announced that it will give emergency service workers round the clock priority if they show staff their work ID.

The grocery stores are also limiting the number of items people can buy in a bid to stop people from stockpiling.

For example, Tesco has introduced a 80 item limit on online orders earlier this week.

Aldi has also implemented a four items per shopper limit on all products.

It has also reduced the number of nappies, toilet paper and kitchen roll to two per person.
Supermarkets have also asked for customers to tell them if they are self isolating when ordering a delivery to reduce the risk of the infection spreading.