When will Waitrose bring back free coffee after Covid-19?

MyWaitrose card holders can normally claim a free tea or coffee when visiting their local branch.

However, this has been suspended since March last year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

A sign in a Brighton branch said: ‘We’re so sorry, we’re closing our coffee machine for the time being so partners who maintain the service can keep our shelves stocked with essential products."

Waitrose's free coffees are popular but have been controversial in the past

Waitrose told The Argus there are currently no plans to reopen the communal coffees.

A spokesman said: “For hygiene reasons, as well as the health and safety of our customers, there is no plan to reopen them.

“This is consistent with government guidance, which we continue to monitor.”

Despite being closed to shoppers for over a year, it is understood that there are no plans to scrap the coffee machines completely.

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A spokesman described the service as a “big part of our customer offer.”

He added that social distancing restrictions and the need to maintain strict hygiene standards due to the pandemic mean reopening is not practical for the time being.

This latest news follows several changes to the offer over the last few years.

In 2017, Waitrose announced that coffee drinkers would have to purchase something in-store before getting their caffeine fix.

The following year, a decision was made to to scrap disposable takeaway cups in a move to reduce landfill waste.

As a result customers had to bring a reusable cup with them in order to claim their free drink.

It remains to be seen when free coffees will return to Waitrose

Supermarkets across the country are still enforcing a range of restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, with limits on the number of people they can have in-store, social distancing between shoppers and some only allowing one adult per household at a time.