Net-a-Porter and Next are suspending online shopping to keep workers safe

London (CNN Business)Hundreds of millions of people around the world have been told to stay home to combat the coronavirus pandemic, driving huge demand for online shopping and food deliveries. Yet many companies including Net-a-Porter and Next are struggling to keep their online operations afloat as the continued spread of the novel coronavirus makes it harder for delivery and warehouse workers to do their jobs and stay healthy. One of the world's leading online luxury fashion retailers, Yoox Net-a-Porter told shoppers on Friday that it is temporarily closing distribution centers and suspending services in the United States, Europe and the Middle East. "We want to do everything we can to keep our colleagues, community and customers safe," it said in an email to customers.

It continues to operate in Asia Pacific. Next (NXGPY), one of the United Kingdom's largest clothing retailers, said in a statement Thursday that it is temporarily closing its online, warehousing and distribution operations because staff working in these areas "increasingly feel they should be at home in the current climate. " The announcement came after BuzzFeed News reported that Next, which had already closed its physical stores, was not following the government's directive to keep at least two meters between people in warehouses. Next did not respond to a request for comment from CNN Business, but a spokesperson told BuzzFeed News that social distancing "is being strenuously policed.

" UK online clothing retailer ASOS (ASOMY) has also come under scrutiny over protections for warehouse staff. GMB, a trade union in Britain, said Thursday that ASOS was "playing Russian roulette" with the lives of 4,000 employees who work at one of its warehouses in England. "Workers report no social distancing measures, a complicated clocking in system which means large numbers of people gather in a small area, and hundreds of workers all breaking for lunch at the same time," it said in a statement. A spokesperson for ASOS said the allegations are false.

"We typically have around 500 colleagues working in our 680,000 square-feet facility at any one time and we have strict social distancing protocols in place," the spokesperson said in a statement, adding that it was the responsibility of workers to adhere to these protocols. ASOS said it was "striking the right balance" between keeping its warehouse operational for the good of employees and the wider economy, while maintaining the health and safety of staff. The UK government has closed the country's pubs, theaters, cinemas and gyms, and directed companies to allow employees to work from home where possible. When people do leave home for work, food or medicine, they are to stay two meters apart from each other.