Online wine subscription company Naked Wines has temporarily stopped taking new orders after an unprecedented surge in business, the latest sign the coronavirus outbreak is spurring Britons to stockpile food and drink.
The company's website has seen a surge in demand in recent days, which means delivery times are much longer than usual, it said in an email to members on Tuesday, a day after the British government announced stricter measures to combat the epidemic.
At the same time, the firm has reduced customer service capacity with most staff now working from home.
New Orders Likely To Be Paused
Naked Wines said it would pause additional new orders while it works through existing bookings. It did not say when it would reopen.
"Rest assured, we are bringing in as much wine as possible so we can keep people's glasses full at a time when it's probably needed more than ever," the company told Reuters.