Dhamecha has stopped accepting returns for deliveries and substitutions due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

When contacted by Better Retailing, an employee at one of the wholesaler’s depots confirmed the restrictions were in place at its warehouses in Wembley, Barking, Enfield, Croydon, Watford, Hayes, Lewisham, Leicester and Birmingham. They said: “The decision has been made because of the Covid-19 outbreak.

“We can’t give a date when retailers will be able to make returns to the depots again.”

Foodservice wholesalers come to the rescue of retailers

One Dhamecha retail customer, who asked not to be named, told Better Retailing: “They have stopped listening to customers and they just want to sell, sell, sell.

“Their excuse was that we were the ones who made the decision to buy the extra stock.

“We don’t want full returns. We just want to exchange them, and for Dhamecha to try to help us.

“Nobody is happy with them. You go to other wholesalers, such as Booker and Costco, and they take returns with no problem.”

Coronavirus: Hancocks assures retailers

The issue follows reports from retailers that Dhamecha wasn’t abiding by social distancing guidelines.

However, Hitesh Modi, of Londis BWS in Chesham, said: “I’ve only been to Dhamecha once during lockdown, but they appeared to be following health and safety guidelines.

“They were also sanitising the trollies by wiping them down.”

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