Brakes offers home grocery delivery service for blind people

• The service in partnership with the RNIB has been launched in Essex and Hertfordshire

• Delivery is free but there is a minimum spend requirement of £75 

• Drivers have been trained in social distancing practices and the impact of these on blind and partially sighted people

Brakes has partnered with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to offer a home delivery solution for blind and partially sighted people.

The collaboration, launched in Essex and Hertfordshire, has been set up to help people with sight loss that have difficulties maintaining social distancing in stores and accessing online delivery slots.

Orders and payments can be made using a dedicated hotline number and deliveries can be arranged for any time between 8am and 7pm. There is no delivery charge but there is a minimum spend requirement of £75 and a maximum value of £1,000, as well as a limit of five of the same item per customer.

Brakes drivers have been trained in social distancing practices and understand the impact of these guidelines on blind and partially sighted people.

The service features a range of 150 core products similar to those found in a supermarket, but in larger pack sizes including fresh produce, meat, dairy, bakery, ready prepared meals, snacks, drinks and essential store cupboard items.

Brakes is also offering a selection of fresh fruit, vegetable and salad boxes.

The veg buffet box contains a mixture of five fresh vegetable items including broccoli, onions and potatoes. The fruit buffet box consists of five fresh fruit items including bananas, grapes and apples, whilst the salad box is made up of five fresh salad items including lettuce, peppers and tomatoes.

“It’s been great collaborating with Brakes to find a solution to the issues blind and partially sighted people have had in accessing food during lockdown,” said RNIB director of services David Clarke.

“With online delivery slots difficult to secure and issues faced around social distancing, it makes it difficult for customers with sight loss to get the food they want. With half as many blind and partially sighted people now shopping independently compared to before the lockdown, we are delighted Brakes are able to offer this online priority service.”