2020 Olympics, new police powers, Cera Care, benefit claims, Burger King, Sports Direct, WhatsApp: your commercial news round-up

Another week and another commercial round-up summarising the latest coronavirus developments.

• In an unprecedented move, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics have been postponed until Summer 2021 due to the coronavirus outbreak. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach agreed the move during a telephone call earlier this week. Abe confirmed that “the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics will not be cancelled”, just delayed.

Katsuhiro Miyamoto, an honorary professor at Japan’s Kansai University, has estimated that a one-year delay would result in an economic loss of approximately $5.8 billion (¥641 billion).

• In order to clamp down on those refusing to obey recent government lockdown guidance, the police will be authorised to use force to send people home. Further details will be revealed by ministers on how exactly the police will enforce the government’s lockdown order. According to the Guardian, it is expected that exemptions will be implemented for several groups, including those fleeing domestic violence and homeless people.

• In a bid to support elderly and vulnerable people during the outbreak, private healthcare company Cera Care is creating 10,000 new jobs for home carers. Successful applicants will be required to undertake training courses and assessments through the firm’s digital platform to ensure applicants can become certified carers and subsequently start to earn money after 10 days.

Cera Care’s chief technology officer Horus Patel stated: “These are long-term positions within our company and we hope this will encourage those recently left without work, or even those currently employed, to consider getting trained and becoming part of this crucial community”.

• The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has “processed” almost half a million new benefit claims since last Tuesday. Welfare Secretary Therese Coffey explained that the surge in demand has come from those facing financial hardship as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, including the self-employed. The UK is waiting for Chancellor Rishi Sunak to reveal what additional support will be made available to the self-employed.

• Burger King is among a significant number of other high-street businesses that are set to withhold their quarterly rent payments this month in order to pay their staff. The government has confirmed that if shops do withhold rent, they will not forfeit their leases but will instead pay arrears in future. After Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s guidelines, Alasdair Murdoch confirmed that the fast-food restaurant will close all of its UK restaurants.

• Following the government’s advice to the public that they should stay at home and exercise outside of the house once per day, Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct has bumped up the price of its various sports equipment by 50%, according to City AM and documents seen by the Press Association.

• With a large proportion of the world on lockdown due to coronavirus, WhatsApp usage has increased by 40%, including a 51% increase for countries in the latter stages of the pandemic. Market research firm Kantar revealed that use of the messaging app in Spain increased by 76%, which looks to be the largest rise yet.

Unsurprisingly, Facebook and Instagram have also experienced a surge in usage, with 16 to 34-year-olds using the social media platforms 40% more than usual.

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