DELIVERY & TAKEAWAY
Delivery and takeaway The ability of operators in the pizza, pasta and Italian food business to offer delivery and takeaway has been encouraged and proved vital, as well as profitable, in recent times, sustaining both businesses and their customers in a trend that could establish itself further.
PAPA ADVICE Back in April, as ‘lockdown’ set in, according to Office for National Statistics’ Statistical bulletin (Consumer price inflation, UK: April 2020), overall, food prices fell 0.1% between March and April this year. However, where fast food and takeaway services were available, the ONS observed price rises across a number of items - the largest monthly price rise of 7.3% coming from takeaway or delivery pizzas.
In line with government guidelines, the Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association (www.papa.org.uk) is helping to make sure that businesses can operate safely in the current conditions by offering delivery and takeaway guidance during Covid-19, as well as guidance for delivery drivers. Aspects of importance include the maintenance of safe distances, hygienic 42
food handling practices, efficient order taking, good delivery logistics, as well as having the right insurance for delivery drivers, as standard business use insurance does not cover food delivery. It is very difficult for food businesses to get delivery insurance for their drivers and therefore it may be necessary to get drivers themselves to take out their own cover, which they can do just for the time they are working. However, ownerdrivers may not be aware of this and
Mamma Mia’s in Oxford report stronger takeout and delivery sales in recent times.
so operators need to make this clear to their drivers. Thus, if your business does not normally do takeaways or deliveries, make sure that your business insurers are aware that you are now doing this. BALANCING ACT Although operators are now able to re-open their premises for a sit-down service, in the short to medium term, and in a time of great economic uncertainty, the chances are that many will decide to persist with, increase or focus solely on, their takeaway and delivery options. As to whether or not this will become the predominant case for the pizza, pasta and Italian food sector remains to be seen. For many, it remains something of a juggling act as re-opening food businesses adjust to life post-lockdown. “We’ve certainly seen stronger takeout and delivery sales than we normally would, and the support we’ve received from our local community has been fantastic,” report Oxford’s Mamma Mia’s, who switched to offering delivery and takeout during lockdown. July 2020
