Foodstuffs is looking for more than 400 staff - over 300 of those are for its stores - as it grapples with a surge in demand created by Covid-19.
Supermarkets around Auckland have notices up in their windows seeking urgent help within their stores, some supermarkets have resorted to opening one hour later than usual in the mornings to allow enough time for staff to restock shelves. There are more than 350 job vacancies listed on Foodstuffs North Island website, the majority advertising for sales and store assistants, and more than 75 in the South Island. A spokeswoman for the company, which operates supermarket chains Pak'nSave, New World, and Gilmours, said the actual vacancy numbers were likely much higher. The number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand has swelled to 39 in recent days. The rapid rise in cases has sent supermarkets into overdrive, who are calling for shoppers to "shop normally". Foodstuffs executives were unable to speak to the Herald today due to the chaos created by people stocking up on groceries in preparation for self-isolation. In a statement, Foodstuffs head of corporate affairs, Antoinette Laird, confirmed some supermarket stores, including some Pak'nSaves, had delayed their opening times by an hour or so to enable their teams to get the maximum volumes they can on the shelves. Countdown has announced that from tomorrow, all of its store, including its online service, will open from 9am instead of 8am. "Staff are working round the clock to make sure customers' needs are met and we are very conscious of looking after them and making sure they are cared for and coping – giving the team extra time is one way of doing this," Laird told. "Our operators are working closely with their local communities to scale up their teams accordingly and meet the increased customer demand Covid-19 has created. "This increased demand has opened a door for our owners to take on new team members whose previous employment may have been adversely affected by the outbreak – in times like these locals helping locals is incredibly important and it's great to see the community pulling together." New World and Pak'nSave supermarkets were also grappling with a surge in demand for its click and collect services following the outbreak, Laird said. "Online demand has increased significantly – we encourage customers to plan ahead as much as they can as stores are working extremely hard to fulfil online and meet additional customer needs." Prior to the outbreak, shoppers were able to make an order the night before a click and collect collection, the Herald understands shoppers now have to wait at least two days to get a pick up time slot.
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Poll: If we want to reduce speeding, what do you think actually changes driver behaviour? 🛻🚨🚓
In the Post's article on speeding penalties, the question is asked whether speeding fines are truly about road safety, or are they just a way to boost revenue for the Crown?
What do you think? Should speeding motorists receive speeding fines or demerit points?
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36.7% The sting of a fine (Money talks!)
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63.3% The threat of demerit points (Nobody wants to lose their license!)
Scam Alert: Bank cold calls
ASB is warning customers about reports of cold calls from scammers claiming to be from ASB. These scammers are trying to obtain personal information, including usernames, dates of birth, and verification codes sent to your mobile phone.
🛡️ The "Caller Check" Test
If you get a call from someone claiming to be from ASB and you’re unsure, just ask them for a Caller Check. You will then be able to verify the call through the app.
Remember, banks will:
❌ Never ask for your banking passwords, PINs, or verification codes
❌ Never need to know your full credit card number – especially the CVC
❌ Never ask you to download software or remotely access your device
❌ Never ask you to purchase gift cards or transfer funds.
If you have received a phone call and think your account has been compromised, call ASB on 0800 ASB FRAUD (0800 272 372), or visit your local branch.
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
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