Vital Pet Group company directors, Ravi and Sunny Sharma, are keen to support the trade in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak and have now set up a dedicated Lifeline Fund that will enable them to offer extended credit terms to the loyal retail customers who have supported Vital over the last two years through its testing times.

Ravi explains that it seems like the right thing to do, "While the government has made promises to help the self-employed and employed workers, there's still a great deal of anxiety over what the future holds for the pet trade. The supply chain has been recognised as an essential business and we are still working to fill the need, as well as service the demand created by panic buying. It's a time when we all need to pull together and think of others."

He continued, "While we can't promise to support everyone, we'll do our best to support as many loyal customers as we can with extended credit lines. Both retailers and suppliers have been hugely supportive of us as we've made the changes we needed to turn Vital into a business fit for the 21st Century. Now it's our time to recognise that and support them."

Retailers who want to apply to the Lifeline fund should send their account number and reasons for needing an extension to simon.shaw@vitalpetproducts.co.uk and add Vital Lifeline Fund to the subject line. The Vital team will aim to review the application and respond in no more than five working days. The fund will be available to access for the next 90 days and will be reviewed thereafter in light of what is happening in the external environment at that time.

Many suppliers are also facing difficulties with distribution and Ravi says Vital is working hard to fill the gaps where suppliers have been let down on the transport front, "We've invested heavily in our infrastructure and right now we are seeing the benefits of having in place new technology and vehicles and a robust approach that allows us to flex capacity. If suppliers are experiencing difficulties with their delivery, we encourage them to speak to their Vital Buyer to enable us to help them complete the supply chain and get their products to the point of sale."

Customers are encouraged to follow Vital on social media for the latest updates and can contact Vital on 01837 883000 or visit www.vitalpets.co.uk.