NEWS
Tesco offers travel safety protection to 300,000 UK colleagues as a free benefit
One of the UK’ s largest private sector employers, Tesco, is giving all its UK colleagues free access to a personal safety app that can track their journeys and help them to raise the alarm if they don’ t feel safe.
The grocer has made the wellbeing and safety of its colleagues a top priority and has chosen to invest in offering every UK colleague the Peoplesafe app.
The introduction of the app follows feedback from colleagues who said they sometimes felt unsafe travelling to and from work.
It helps address situations such as walking in an unfamiliar area late at night, facing aggression on the night bus or tube after a night out or using a private taxi alone.
If they choose to download the app, colleagues can get 24 / 7 protection whether commuting for work or going about their personal life. By setting their destination and mode of transport before travelling, the app can automate welfare checks on their mobile to ensure they feel safe and allow them to raise an SOS alert if needed.
If they don’ t arrive at their destination on time or fail to respond to messages asking if they feel safe, then professionals at the Peoplesafe control room will call to check they’ re safe and can raise an alarm directly with local police if necessary. Once they arrive at their destination, the app automatically closes the tracing process.
Two-thirds of Brits cutting back on impulse buys as minimalism meets cost of living pressures
Two-thirds( 66 %) of Brits have cut back on impulse purchasing, according to new data from Optimizely, as cost of living pressures and a growing turn toward minimalism are influencing consumer behaviour.
The research, which draws on data from 1,000 UK consumers, reveals that almost one in three( 30 %) are taking part in a‘ no buy’ year, committing to only purchasing essentials. A further 29 % have even uninstalled a retailer’ s app to reduce temptation.
As well as cutting back on purchases, consumers are rethinking where they shop. Nearly a third( 31 %) are ditching giant online retailers in favour of smaller independent brands. This shift suggests that intentional consumption is being driven by a desire for more mindful, value-driven shopping and is not solely down to financial pressures.
As consumers dramatically cut back on buying habits and make more mindful purchases, marketers are feeling the strain. In Optimizely’ s survey of 100 marketers – run alongside the consumer research – a quarter( 26 %) said consumers have become much harder to engage.
“ Today’ s consumers are becoming far more intentional with their shopping habits. Whether that’ s cutting back to save money or embracing a more minimalist mindset, people are purchasing less,” said Tina Nelson, Product Strategy Director at Optimizely.“ For brands, this is both a challenge and an opportunity. In a period of low consumption, digital experiences need to deliver real value, personalisation and above all, trust. Brands that get this right will stand out, even when people are buying less.” www. intelligentretail. tech 9