In London’s lockdown, a small honey retailer navigates online sales

Home to fresh and artisan foods, Borough Market is one of London’s oldest food destinations. Typically bustling with shoppers, the market’s essential grocers are open even as the United Kingdom remains under lockdown to stem the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

The “Marketplace” team visited Borough Market last year while reporting on the economic concerns of Brexit. That’s when we met Samantha Wallace, owner of From Field and Flower, a specialty shop that sells a variety of international honey products. Wallace has decided to close the small shop, focusing on online sales. We asked her about managing a business during the global pandemic and her thoughts on the future of retail.

“Generally speaking, there is a big hole in our turnover, sadly, so we’re losing quite a lot of money,” Wallace said. “But effectively, the bit of money we’re getting helps moral, helps us feel positive and also helps us continue to pay our staff while they’re on lockdown.”

Click the audio player above to hear the interview.