- Title: Gas and vegetables - China petrol stations help drivers avoid crowded markets
- Date: 28th February 2020
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (FEBRUARY 28, 2020) (REUTERS) TRUCK DRIVING INTO PETROL STATION VARIOUS OF WORKERS UNLOADING BOXES OF FOOD STAFF CHECKING LIST WORKER PLACING BOX OF FOOD VARIOUS OF STAFF UNPACKING BOX OF VEGETABLES WORKERS MOVING BOXES STAFF OPENING BOX OF VEGETABLES (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) STAFF AT PETROL STATION, LIU YAN, SAYING: "Yes, people coming for gas might as well buy vegetables. They can order them online with their phones, then we'll receive customers' orders and we'll know what they bought according to their license plate numbers. Then we directly deliver the orders to their cars. It's a completely contactless way of buying vegetables." VARIOUS OF CARS COMING INTO PETROL STATION STAFF PUTTING GAS PUMP INTO CAR CAR PARKING VARIOUS OF STAFF EXPLAINING ONLINE SHOPPING SELECTIONS WITH PHONE TO CUSTOMER STAFF PUTTING BOX OF FOOD INTO BACK OF CUSTOMER'S CAR (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) FU YU, 37-YEAR-OLD LOCAL RESIDENT, SAYING: "It's convenient. We're still in the midst of an outbreak, right? So we should spend less time going to crowded places. This is convenient and it's difficult to choose what food to buy since we're always at home during the outbreak. Here they have put together a selection and it's enough to eat for at least a day." VARIOUS OF WOMAN BUYING VEGETABLES STAFF PUTTING BOX OF VEGETABLES INTO CAR (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) VICE PRESIDENT OF SINOPEC YIJIE SALES, LI HONG, SAYING: "According to our observations, most customers will buy a whole box (of vegetables), and at the same time, they might also buy other products like rice, noodles and oil. Because now people's demands for basic needs are high. Since people are able to go outside less often, the need for daily necessities such as rice, noodles, oil, and vegetables is increasing." VEGETABLES ON SHELF VARIOUS OF STAFF PUTTING BOX OF VEGETABLES IN THE CAR CARS LEAVING PETROL STATION
- Embargoed: 13th March 2020 04:33
- Keywords: China Gas station Sinopec Vegetables Virus coronavirus online produce
- Location: BEIJING, CHINA
- City: BEIJING, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001C2IYR7R
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Drivers across China can avoid shopping at crowded markets amid the coronavirus outbreak and instead pick up boxes of fresh produce directly delivered to their own car at petrol stations.
"They can order them online with their phones, then we'll receive customers' orders and we'll know what they bought according to their license plates. Then we directly deliver the orders to their cars. It's a completely contactless way of buying vegetables," Liu Yan, an employee at a Sinopec petrol station in central Beijing, told Reuters on Friday (February 28).
Staff at the petrol station said that they have been selling an average of 30 boxes of vegetables per day and demand is increasing.
Oil and gas giant Sinopec started providing the service at their petrol stations in most of the country's provinces from February 6.
From supermarkets to food delivery services, "contactless shopping" has been sweeping across the nation since the start of the outbreak.
The virus has so far mainly battered China, causing nearly 80,000 infections and almost 2,800 deaths as of Thursday (February 27), according to official Chinese figures. It has spread to another 46 countries, where about 3,700 cases and 57 deaths have been reported, according to the World Health Organisation.
(Production: Thomas Suen) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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