Waitrose combats coronavirus with new e-gift card offering

Waitrose has launched an e-gift card for self-isolating customers who want to organise payment for groceries delivered by volunteers, friends or other family members.

Available in £10 denominations up to £500, these can be purchased online and emailed so people can use the e-cards on their behalf in Waitrose & Partners stores.

The launch follows the government’s recruitment drive last month for NHS Volunteer responders who could help those in self-isolation with essential tasks such as grocery shopping and assisting pharmacies with medication deliveries. The initiative has already attracted more than 750,000 volunteers.

Bérangère Michel, Executive Director of Customer Service at the John Lewis Partnership, says: “We are pleased to be able to support our customers and the nation’s brilliant army of volunteers during these unprecedented times.”

“Local communities have really rallied around those unable to get to the shops themselves and we want to make it as simple as possible for kind-hearted volunteers to get essential groceries to them.”

When purchasing the e-gift card, customers will be asked to enter their own or their volunteer’s email address so they can receive a copy of it. This can then be printed out or saved to a phone and presented at the checkout in-store. Customers can also check balances online.

Physical Partnership gift cards can also be bought in-store or online and then posted to volunteers or sent to customers who can give it to volunteers themselves.