Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Chronicle Live
Chronicle Live
Entertainment
Rachel Pugh & Rachel Pugh & Kieran Murray

Iceland issues worrying message to anyone who shops in its supermarkets

Iceland has been forced to close a number of stores due to a staffing crisis caused by the 'pingdemic'.

The supermarket has revealed a high number of employees are isolating after being contacted by the NHS track and trace app.

It comes days after Freedom Day in England, which saw the last set of Covid restrictions lift on July 19.

READ MORE: Tesco starts mandatory checks inside every shopper's car during hot weather

The frozen grocer has said that more than 1,000 have been pinged by the NHS app, causing some branches to shut.

Iceland's managing director Richard Walker said around 4% of its workforce are currently off work due to Covid, the Manchester Evening News reports.

M&S has also warned of potential staff shortages due to an increase in people being pinged by the track and trace app.

The boss of Marks and Spencer, Steve Rowe, said by mid-August as many as one in five supermarket workers could be in home isolation.

Some Iceland stores have shut due to a staff shortage (Andrew Teebay/Liverpool Echo)

The number of test and trace app 'pings' is growing rapidly - with some branding it a 'pingdemic'.

"If there’s shortages we’ll have to manage it by changing hours of stores [and] reducing hours," Rowe said.

The self isolation requirement will be abolished for contacts of positive cases for under 18s and for double vaccinated adults from August 16.

The director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, Andrew Opie, said: "The ongoing 'pingdemic' is putting increasing pressure on retailers’ ability to maintain opening hours and keep shelves stocked.

"Government needs to act fast. Retail workers and suppliers, who have played a vital role throughout this pandemic, should be allowed to work provided they are double vaccinated or can show a negative Covid test, to ensure there is no disruption to the public’s ability to get food and other goods.

"With community cases soaring, the number of healthy retail staff having to self-isolate is rising fast, disrupting retail operations."

Subscribe to ChronicleLive's newsletters

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.