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NEWS WOOLIES MAKES EARLIER PAYMENTS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES Woolworths Group is temporarily changing its payment policy to pay small suppliers faster for its goods and services. Currently, small trade suppliers in Woolworths’ supermarkets business are paid within 14 days, while across the rest of the group, payment terms for small suppliers don’t exceed 30 days from receipt of a correct invoice or receipt of goods. For now, the payment terms for eligible small suppliers will be aligned across the entire group (including goods not for resale, BIG W, Endeavour Group and New Zealand) and will not exceed 14 days. “Our small business suppliers are an integral part of our supply chain and play a key role in helping us provide the products our customers need,” Woolworths Group Chief Financial Officer Stephen Harrison said. “By paying our small suppliers faster, we hope to ease some of the financial pressure many of them are currently experiencing amid the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic.” Woolworths Group classifies small suppliers as businesses with $1 million purchases by Woolworths and less than $10 million annual turnover, which is in line with the Business Council of Australia. The revised small business policy will continue until June 30, when it will be reassessed based on the situation at the time. CONSORTIUM TO BOOST FRUIT AND VEG INTAKE Health professionals and horticulture industry groups have teamed up to launch the Fruit & Vegetable Consortium. The new group brings together key organisations to collectively advocate for comprehensive action to address Australia’s complacency about eating fruit and vegetables. The consortium says that as the COVID-19 pandemic affects daily lives, Australians continue to have a bountiful supply of fresh fruit and vegetables, which are a vital component of a well balanced diet, a strong immune system and a healthy lifestyle, to combat the current pandemic and prepare for the coming flu season. The group is collaborating to investigate options to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. This includes one project to develop a behavioural change program that will work to improve Australians’ health and wellbeing through such increased consumption. The inaugural Chair of the Consortium is Nutrition Australia CEO Lucinda Hancock, with other founding members including AUSVEG, Cancer Council of Victoria, the Heart Foundation, the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Melbourne Market, Nutrition Australia, Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation, the Good Foundation, the Produce Marketing Association Australia-New Zealand and VicHealth. More than 50 organisations are said to have already pledged their support since the consortium was launched to industry in March. COLES DONATES EASTER TREATS TO HEALTHCARE WORKERS Coles contributed more than 8,000 free packs of Easter eggs to nurses and doctors at hospitals across the country as a small gesture of thanks for their tireless efforts in the ongoing fight against COVID-19. The treats were hand delivered to hospitals, including the Monash Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Sydney Children’s Hospital and Brisbane’s Prince Charles Hospital, in time for Easter. The Easter eggs are in addition to 200,000 hot cross buns donated to food rescue organisation SecondBite over the Easter break, supporting disadvantaged Australians. Coles Group CEO Steven Cain says social distancing measures made the holidays challenging for some who would otherwise be spending time with family, and the strain was even greater on frontline medical personnel and those in need. “Coles is doing everything we can to support those who need it most through this challenging time, while also ensuring we can provide food for all Australians in our stores,” he said. “Our doctors and nurses are working to help keep all Australians safe during this crisis, so we hope this donation brings some Easter cheer to the hospital staff and their families.” Coles in March committed to donate extra food and groceries to the retail value of $1 million a week to SecondBite and Foodbank during the pandemic. “Our food relief partners SecondBite and Foodbank had barely finished the massive task of feeding Australians in need as a result of the bushfires when they were again called upon as a result of COVID-19,” Mr Cain said. 14 RETAIL WORLD APR, 2020