Lockdown measures will continue to be eased in Leicester, which has seen more stringent rules to stem the spread of the virus in place for several weeks.
Health secretary Matt Hancock tweeted: “The rate of infection in Leicester has now dropped to a safe enough level to allow further businesses including beauty salons, nail bars & some outdoor venues to reopen.
“Current restrictions on gatherings must remain in place to further bring down the rate of infection.”
The rate of infection in Leicester has now dropped to a safe enough level to allow further businesses including beauty salons, nail bars & some outdoor venues to reopen.
Current restrictions on gatherings must remain in place to further bring down the rate of infection.
— Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) August 18, 2020
– Asda has said online sales doubled in the past quarter after the coronavirus pandemic caused a “structural shift” in customer shopping habits.
The supermarket chain reported a 3.8 per cent spike in like-for-like sales for the three months to 30 June after online grocery sales jumped.
Online sales “doubled” in the second quarter after Asda increased delivery capacity by 65 per cent during the lockdown period.
Click and collect sales also quadrupled for the quarter because of “increased and sustained appetite for online grocery shopping”.
Asda chief executive Roger Burnley told the PA news agency: “The pandemic has created a structural shift in customer behaviours towards grocery shopping.
“We have accelerated our online capacity expansion to meet levels we had anticipated reaching in eight years within a matter of weeks and we will continue to expand this offer.
“We will also maintain focus on ensuring our in-store experience delivers what customers want from a shopping trip – great value, relevant range and ease.
“As life under Covid-19 continues, customer concerns are shifting from the health consequences of the pandemic to its financial impacts – and we remain absolutely committed to protecting both their health, and their budgets.”
