Tesco Lotus to continue three missions to help all sectors recover from impact of Covid-19

May 29, 2020 Anucha Kasun

29 May 2020 – Tesco Lotus vows to continue its three missions to help customers, colleagues, suppliers, and communities overcome the impact of the covid-19 pandemic. The retailer believes the Thai economy will make a full recovery only upon the survival of all sectors. It has kept product prices affordable for consumers, provided rent relief for tenants, sourced more products from farmers, and distributed food to those affected by the crisis.

Mr. Sompong Rungnirattisai, Chief Executive Officer of Tesco Lotus, said: “As the covid-19 pandemic in Thailand continues to improve with fewer new cases of infection and businesses reopening under the new normal, Tesco Lotus will continue on our three missions, namely to care for the health and safety of our customers and colleagues, to provide essential products at fair and affordable prices, and to support affected communities. We believe that a full recovery is only possible if all sectors survive and no one is left behind. We will continue to support our colleagues, customers, suppliers, and communities as we fight this crisis together.”

Based on a recent survey by Mintel, the top three concerns of Thai people are: high cost of living (57%), their health (55%), and stress related to employment (42%). Based on the company’s three missions, Tesco Lotus has provided necessary supports for colleagues, customers, suppliers and tenants, farmers and SME operators, as well as affected communities, through the following initiatives:

Customers and the public

Offer high-quality, safe products at fair and affordable prices. A great range of fresh food, ready-to-cook food and kitchen appliances is available to serve increasing needs of cooking at home
Increased range of ready to eat food in shopping mall with special promotions and lower prices at food courts and restaurants to help consumers with their cost of living
Offer high-quality products at affordable prices under the Tesco brand to protect the health and enhance the well-being of customers, such as face masks, hand sanitisers, and soap.
Expand omni-channel services to serve customers better, with greater convenience, safety, and speed
Maintain stringent hygiene standards and preventive measures across all stores in compliance with government policies

Colleagues

No job loss or pay cuts
Special rewards and discounts for colleagues
Provision of Covid-19 health insurance for customer-facing colleagues
Work from home policy for Head Office colleagues supported by IT infrastructure and laptop given to every Head Office colleague

Suppliers and tenants

Rent relief for mall tenants affected by the temporary closure
Free rental space in shopping malls for farmers and SME operators
Temporary employment contracts for staff of mall tenants during temporary closure
Buying more agricultural products directly from farmers, including a 50% increase in seasonal fruits

Communities

Expansion of the “Free Pantries” project to distribute food and essential items for those affected
Commitment to provide 1 million meals to those in need
Donating food and essential supplies to impacted communities