Here’s what area grocery stores are doing to keep everyone safer during COVID-19 spread
Grocery stores are listed among the essential businesses that must remain open in North Carolina during Gov. Roy Cooper’s stay-at-home order, and shoppers continue to make trips in search of fresh meat, bread and toilet paper.
But safety in grocery stores is a major concern, and chains across the nation are busy implementing measures designed to help keep shoppers and employees safer during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Hilary Thesmar, senior vice president of food safety for the Food Industry Association (also known as FMI), told The News & Observer this week that the stores they advise are “trying to create a safe place for customers and employees to get the essential supplies families need.”
One way retail chains are trying to do that is by changing policies and practices to meet social-distancing guidelines from public health officials. And there are many ways to do that.
For instance, many Trader Joe’s stores are limiting the number of customers that can enter the store at one time (the number varies; it’s a 40-shopper limit at the Raleigh store). Target announced on April 2 that they would also start “monitoring — and metering when necessary — the number of people inside our stores nationwide.” Harris Teeter made the same call on April 8.
Other stores have open access but mark floors near checkout stands to remind shoppers to keep a 6-foot distance from other people.
Many chains have also installed plexiglass shields at checkout stands to offer an additional barrier between the customer and the cashier, and offer special shopping hours for seniors and others with high risk factors.
There’s no one standard that can be applied for all stores, Thesmar said.
“There are different floor plans in retail and different square footage,” Thesmar said. “Huge stores and small stores, some with narrow aisles. It’s best decided by the operator or company how to meet the needs of their customers and provide physical distance … we provide stores with options and they choose what to do.”
Keep your distance, but also keep it moving
Thesmar said shoppers and employees should also be aware that there’s a time element to the social distancing guidelines. When you’re shopping, never linger near other customers or around employees who are stocking shelves.
“The goal is not to have a six-foot bubble, it’s to avoid close contact, and there’s a time element to that,” she said. “Passing someone in an aisle is not a known risk factor, because it’s seconds when you are passing someone.”
There has been concern over employees who must work around customers but without protective masks, especially now with guidance over the wearing of masks seeming to change.
Most stores have policies that allow employees to wear masks if they have them, but they don’t always have current access to supply them.
“Our valued associates are permitted to wear masks and gloves for their own personal comfort,” said a spokesperson for Matthews, NC-based Harris Teeter. “However, we cannot provide them because we do not have them available. The healthcare industry – rightfully so – takes priority in the procurement of personal protective equipment.”
Grocery delivery or pick-up is more popular than ever
One of the safer ways to get groceries now is by ordering online and picking up the items curbside or having them delivered.
Online orders and deliveries have increased dramatically in recent weeks, and some services, such as InstaCart and Shipt, are struggling to keep up with demand. Orders that took a few hours to be filled and delivered a few weeks ago, now take a few days.
Research released this week from Brick Meets Click and ShopperKit shows a 233% increase in sales for online grocery delivery and pickup over a 30-day period with data compiled from August 2019 to March 2020, and a nearly 200% increase in the number of orders placed. There was a 146% increase in the number of customers.
New research also shows that “31% of U.S. households (about 39.5 million in total) have used an online grocery delivery or pickup service during the past month,” according to the two groups.
[Never had your groceries delivered by ready to try? Here’s what you can expect.]
It’s a great shopping alternative, especially for those in higher risk groups, but moving to a pick-up or delivery-only model isn’t practical right now, said Thesmar.
“If we went to a 100% delivery or pick-up model, that would shift the shopping to different people, but the high demand is still there,” she said. “People need food and we want to provide food. Delivery and curbside pickup are good options, but that would create ripple effects.”
If you do go into stores to shop, it’s important to do everything you can to lessen your risks: go early or late when crowds are lighter, avoid close and prolonged contact with others, touch as few surfaces as possible, keep your hands clean and don’t touch your face.
“I still go to the store and I feel very comfortable doing that,” she said. “I don’t go as frequently, though. I wash my hands and wipe down my cart and take precautions.”
What stores are doing
Here’s what some of the local chains are doing, in addition to the enhanced cleaning and sanitizing that began a few weeks ago, as of April 3, 2020. (UPDATE April 10: Gov. Roy Cooper announced a new executive order that requires all retail and grocery stores to limit the number of people inside stores to 20 percent of that store’s stated fire capacity, and mark distances of six feet at any area where shoppers must line up. The order also requires frequent cleaning and disinfection of stores. Cooper also said stores should make hand sanitizer accessible, use shields at checkouts and mark aisles as one way to limit traffic. The new retail rules go into effect at 5 p.m. Monday, April 13.)
Harris Teeter
Carts: When cart wipes are not available, associates at the door clean carts for customers.
Social distancing: Signs at checkout stands and in the lobby remind customers about social distancing. “Stand here” floor decals are currently being installed. Harris Teeter announced on April 8 that they will limit the number of shoppers allowed inside stores at one time. Stores “will limit the number of customers to 50% of building code capacity (20% in South Carolina) to further support physical distancing in our stores ... Store associates will monitor the number of customers to ensure the capacity limit is maintained,” the company said.
Hours: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Special hours: Customers 60 and over shop 6 to 7 a.m. Mondays and Thursdays. The store also offers ExpressLane Online Shopping pick-up times reserved for seniors from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursdays. They also offer no fee and $5 delivery option for seniors. More info here: https://bit.ly/2WDs6WZ.
Plexiglass: Shields are installed at checkout stands, customer service and pharmacy counters.
Employees: Full-time hourly associates in retail, distribution center, dairy and corporate offices get a $2 increase for hours worked April 1-21. Full-time hourly associates also receive a one-time bonus of $300 and part-timers got $150. The company is also giving employees emergency paid leave, making funds available for those facing hardships due to COVID-19, and providing access to mental health services. Harris Teeter says it has already hired 2,800 new workers and is seeking an additional 2,300.
Food Lion
Carts: A statement from Food Lion says that they are working to ensure sanitizing wipes are available in stores. “Where wipes may be unavailable, our associates have been given guidance to wipe down carts before customer use.”
Social distancing: Food Lion has removed hand baskets and small shopping carts from stores and they are asking shoppers to use large carts to increase distance from other shoppers, noting that two cart lengths is approximately the 6-foot space recommended by the CDC. They also have signage in stores to remind customers and associates about distancing.
Hours: So far, Food Lion has maintained its normal shopping hours. Those hours may vary from store to store.
Special hours: Customers 60 and over and those who are immunocompromised can shop from 7 to 8 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Plexiglass: Plexiglass safety guards installed at checkout, customer service and pharmacy areas.
Employees: Food Lion says they have “implemented pandemic exception guidelines, including modified attendance policies, compensation and other key benefits.”
Lowes Foods
Carts: Lowes will either have sanitizing wipes in the front of the store or an employee scheduled there to wipe them down.
Social distancing: Lowe’s has signage already in the store, and said it will add additional signage as the situation evolves.
Hours: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. until further notice.
Special hours: Lowes Foods is dedicating 7 to 8 a.m. every Tuesday and Wednesday as shopping hours for seniors and others who are vulnerable to the virus. Those who are not at risk are being asked to shop at Lowes Foods after 8 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays or other days of the week. The special shopping hours are in place until further notice.
Plexiglass: Screens have been installed to help with separation at the registers.
Employees: Current full-time hourly employees hired at Lowes Foods before March 1 will receive $300; part-time workers will receive $150. The store also enacted a new emergency leave policy for its companies: all employees and hosts, both full time and part time, who are diagnosed with COVID-19 will receive an additional 10 paid days off.
Publix
Carts: If cart wipes are not available, associates are at the door to clean carts.
Social distancing: Six-foot spacing is marked off at registers. Signs throughout the store reminding shoppers about safe distances as well as announcements made over the store intercom.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Special hours: Publix is designating Tuesday and Wednesday mornings from 7 to 8 a.m. for seniors 65 and over.
Plexiglass: Shields are installed at registers, customer service and pharmacy centers.
Employees: Permanent pay increases and accelerated merit reviews that will offer “recognition pay,” effective April 11. Publix also offers paid leave for 14 days for associates who test positive for COVID-19 in addition to notification, quarantine and paid leave for associates who have been in close contact with that associate. Publix is hiring 2,000 employees to work in its stores and distribution centers.
Wegmans
Carts: Wegmans provides cart wipes but also has an associate at the door to clean carts.
Social distancing: Wegmans has signs at the entrance reminding shoppers to keep their distance from others, and they have placed decals on the floor near checkout areas showing customers where to stand.
Hours: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Special hours: Wegmans does not offer special senior shopping hours, and they explain why on their website. Their statement includes this note: “We do not believe putting an entire population of highly susceptible people together in one location, at one time is a good idea. In addition, products arrive at each of our stores at different times throughout the day.”
Plexiglass: Plexiglass shields are being installed at pharmacies and front-end registers.
Employees: Wegmans increased hourly employee pay by $2 an hour for the months of March and April. The company has always offered disability paid sick leave for all employees, part- and full-time, but has added COVID-19 disability paid sick leave with a higher rate of pay starting on day one and eliminates the need for medical documentation from the healthcare provider. The company says it has tried to accommodate employees who are more vulnerable by offering them the opportunity to move into different roles.
Target
Carts: If disinfecting wipes are not available, associates are cleaning carts for customers.
Social distancing: Starting April 4, Target says it will actively monitor and, when needed, limit the total number of people inside based on the store’s specific square footage. If metering is needed, a team member will help guests into a designated waiting area outside with social distancing markers, while others will guide guests inside the store and keep things moving quickly and conveniently. The stores also have signage to remind shoppers of social distancing guidelines, in addition to floor decals and audio messages.
Hours: Stores close at 9 p.m.
Special hours: Target will devote the first shopping hour of each Wednesday to seniors and those with health issues that put them at a greater risk. Target store hours vary location to location, so check with your store for current store hours (many stores are operating with reduced hours now). That first hour on Wednesday is the time to go.
Plexiglass: Target is installing plexiglass partitions at checkout lanes and at other centers where employees interact with shoppers.
Employees: Target will begin providing all employees in stores and in their distribution centers with “high-quality, disposable face masks and gloves at the beginning of every shift.” They will also provide masks and gloves to Shipt shoppers (home delivery) as they enter stores. The masks should be available within the next two weeks. Target has also given a $2 per hour raise to employees until at least May 2 and said that 20,000 hourly department managers would be given bonuses between $250 and $1,500. The company also offers a new paid leave option for staff who have underlying health conditions or who are 65 or older (30 days paid leave). Employees also get quarantine pay for 14 days and confirmed illness pay at 100% of their pay for 14 days. Employees also get dedicated shopping hours.
Walmart
Carts: The Walmart website says it has associates dedicated to cleaning high-touch areas like shopping carts and checkouts.
Social distancing: Floor decals at both entrances and at checkouts remind shoppers to practice social-distancing.
Hours: 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Special hours: Walmart stores will devote one hour prior to the store opening each Tuesday through April 28 to senior shoppers (60 and older). Pharmacies and Vision Centers will also be open during this time. Current new Walmart hours are 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. nationwide, so seniors would shop at 6 a.m.
Plexiglass: Walmart is installing sneezeguards at pharmacy and cash registers.
Employees: Hourly employees are receiving a special cash bonus and the company is accelerating its first quarter bonus for hourly employees. All employees have access to telehealth doctor visits at no cost to them during this time. The company website says that if an employee or that employee’s work location is part of a mandatory quarantine, the employee will receive up to two weeks of pay and the absences will not count against attendance. Similarly, an employee who tests positive to the virus will receive up to two weeks of pay. Those employees may be eligible for additional pay replacement for up to 26 weeks if they are not able to return to work after being sick.
Aldi
Carts: Aldi said in an email to customers this week that they have “increased the frequency of cart cleaning throughout the day.”
Social distancing: The same email says Aldi has started intalling signs and floor decals in stores to remind customers and employees to keep their distance.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Special hours: Special shopping hours for seniors 8:30-9:30 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday.
Plexiglass: Temporary panels have started rolling out to stores this week.
Employees: Aldi said it is “actively sourcing personal protective equipment for our employees to use, upon request.” That includes disposable gloves, which they started sending out to stores this week, and masks, which they will start to ship next week as supplies permit.
Lidl
Carts: Disinfecting wipes are available at the entrance to stores.
Social distancing: The company announced on March 24 that new signage will be installed at all stores reinforcing the importance of social distancing and contactless pay (where possible).
Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Plexiglass: The company announced on March 24 that new protective barriers will be installed in all checkout lanes.
Employees: Lidl describes their healthcare coverage for employees as a “first-in-the industry policy, designed with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield”: all temporary employees without health insurance are immediately eligible to receive comprehensive COVID-19 medical benefits, which waives copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles and allows virtual visits through the CareFirst Video Visit platform. Current Lidl US employees enrolled in company insurance plans automatically receive the enhanced COVID-19 medical benefits package at no additional cost. Further, employees over the age of 65 are encouraged to stay home during the outbreak, and will continue being paid. As for personal protective equipment, employees are allowed to wear masks (if they have them) and gloves (provided) during their shifts; the company said it is actively working to secure masks for store and warehouse employees.
Hiring: Lidl is hiring up to 1,000 additional temporary employees
Fresh Market
Carts: Associates at the door to clean carts for customers. (Also, front-end team members take hand washing breaks every 30 minutes, and the rest of the store team every hour.)
Social distancing: Implemented physical distancing throughout the store to facilitate the six-feet distancing guidance, including checkout lanes, and service counters.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Special hours: 8-9 a.m. weekdays for those in the CDC high-risk category.
Plexiglass: Shields installed at registers (also offers “no touch checkout”)
Employees: A 5% bonus based on hours worked in March and increased discount of at least 30% on all food purchases at Fresh Market. Up to 14 days of paid leave for any employee required to go into mandatory quarantine.
Hiring: Fresh Market says it has hired extra employees.
Whole Foods
Carts: The Whole Foods website says the number of hand sanitizer stations have been increased inside the store, including for shopping carts andn checkouts.
Social distancing: The Whole Foods website says the stores are “operating under social distancing guidelines” but no additional information was provided when requested.
Hours: Store hours vary by location, but they are closing early in most locations.
Special hours: Whole Foods is setting aside the hour before they open each day to senior shoppers (ages 60 and up) in all stores in the U.S. and Canada. Check with your closest Whole Foods to see when they open.
Employees: All full-time and part-time hourly employees are getting a $2 per hour increase through April and will receive double their hourly base rate of pay for every overtime hour worked from March 16 to May 3. If employees test positive for coronavirus they get an additional two weeks of paid time off. The company also has an emergency fund that aids employees faced with an unforeseen emergency. The company said employees who wish to wear a mask while working may do so, but the company does not provide them. They also have special shopping hours for employees. (NOTE: Some employees at Whole Foods stores nationwide took part in a “sick out” work stoppage March 31 to call attention to their need for improved workplace safety and better benefits.)
Trader Joe’s
Carts: Carts are sanitized by associates in between shoppers.
Social distancing: There’s no corporate-wide policy, but many Trader Joe’s stores are limiting the number of customers allowed into the store to promote social distancing. The Raleigh location currently allows 40 shoppers at any given time.
Hours: 8 or 9 a.m. (depending on the store) to 7 p.m.
Special hours: The first shopping hour of each day (either 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. depending on the store) is reserved for senior customers over the age of 60 and for those with disabilities who may need assistance shopping.
Employees: Trader Joe’s has actually closed some stores after employees tested positive for COVID-19. The company is offering additional paid sick leave to employees who have any symptom of illness. Employees who work at cash registers are also given opportunities to wash their hands.
Carlie C’s IGA
Carts: Carlie C’s IGA says they are instituting “continuous cleaning of cart handles” and other touch points in their stores.
Social distancing: The company is placing floor decals throughout the store to remind shoppers about proper social distancing.
Special Hours: The Dunn-based chain has announced a special senior (age 60 and up) shopping hour each Sunday from 7-8 a.m. They also offer special shopping hours for first responders, including health care workers, police, fire, emergency medical technicians and ambulance technicians: 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. each Wednesday.
Plexiglass: The company is installing shields at the checkout lanes, the service desk and pharmacy areas, to be completed by April 15.
Employees: Employees are being supplied with protective masks, to wear if they choose, and with gloves, which they are being asked to wear. They will be checking the temperature of employees as they report to work, to make sure employees don’t have a fever. Employees are also getting “crisis pay” that means at $1.50 per hour increase.
Dollar General
Carts: Information requested.
Social distancing: Information requested.
Hours: Hours vary by location, but stores are closing one hour early.
Special hours: Dollar General is “strongly suggesting” that the first shopping hour of each day be devoted to senior customers, and they’re asking other shoppers to plan their shopping to avoid that time.
Employees: The company is giving bonuses to store, distribution and private fleet employees who worked during a six-week period starting in mid-March. The company also announced it plans to hire up to 50,000 new employees by the end of April.
Costco
Carts: Carts are cleaned at the door before being handed over to customers.
Social distancing: Costco customers must line up to be admitted into the store, with a limit of two people per membership admitted. Shoppers are asked to respect others’s space and keep a six-foot distance in the line and inside the store.
Hours: Store opening hours can vary, but typically open at 9:30 or 10 a.m. Currently, they close at 6:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Saturday and Sunday hours are unchanged. (Gas stations open at 7:30 a.m. each day and close at 7 p.m. on weekdays and 6:30 p.m. on weekends.)
Special hours: 8 to 9 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays for members who are 60 and older.
Plexiglass: Costco stores have installed shields around cash registers at checkout stands.
Employees: Costco employees are getting an additional $2 per hour for time worked during the five-week period between March 2 through April 5.
Sam’s Club
Carts: The Sam’s Club website says stores have additional cleaning supplies for use at registers and on shopping carts.
Social distancing: Information requested.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday
Special hours: Sam’s offers early shopping hours every Tuesday and Thursday from 7 to 9 a.m. for seniors and those with disabilities or compromised immune systems. This includes pharmacy and optical centers and will last until further notice. These customers are also eligible for concierge service to pick up items without leaving their cars.
Plexiglass: Plexiglass shields are being installed.
Employees: Sam’s Club and Walmart are doing temperature checks on employees to make sure no one is coming to work with a fever. The company says that any employee with a fever of 100.0 degrees or more will be sent home, urged to seek medical treatment and told not to return to work until they are fever-free for at least three days. The company also says they will make masks available for employees to wear if they wish, as supplies last.
BJ’s Wholesale
Carts: The BJ’s website touts enhanced cleaning procedures that includes wiping down cart handles (and touch screens) with greater frequency. The website said that sanitation supplies are provided inside the stores for customers and employees.
Social distancing: Starting April 4, BJ’s will limit the number of members allowed inside at one time. The number will vary by location based on square footage, but should not exceed 20 percent of the store’s normal capacity. They are asking members to send only one person per household inside to shop. BJ’s has also posted signs throughout each store and makes audio announcements inside the stores reminding shoppers to keep a distance. They have also positioned stanchions to promote social distancing at checkout lines and have team members stationed near lines to make sure shoppers are obeying the rules.
Hours: Hours vary store to store, but stores open at 9 a.m. and close early.
Special hours: 8 to 9 a.m. for seniors aged 60 and up.
Employees: BJ’s said on April 3 that they will begin to check the temperatures of employees as they report to work, and if they have a fever they will be sent home and instructed to seek medical care. The company also says it will begin to provide masks and gloves to employees, as supplies permit. Hourly employees earn an additional $2 per hour from March 23 to April 12. At the end of March, “store managers and key personnel” receive a one-time bonus ranging from $500 to $1,000. The company has waived its absentee policy so that team members can stay home if they need to. If they are under mandated quarantine, they will receive their standard pay for up to 14 days. The company also has a special fund available to team members facing financial hardship.
This story was originally published April 3, 2020 at 11:30 AM.
