While COVID-19 is keeping many of us social distanced in our houses, essential workers such as grocery store cashiers are on the front lines providing basic necessities to our communities. Local grocery stores are taking precautions to keep both their workers and shoppers safe during the outbreak.
“We know what an essential role our team members play during this pandemic,” Rouses CEO Donny Rouse says, “and we are doing everything we can to keep them—and you—safe.”
Rouses has supplemented its normal cleaning protocol with plexiglass sneeze shields at checkouts and floor markers in checkout lanes to indicate safe distancing, according to Creative Director Marcy Nathan. Cashiers have also been asked to sanitize their hands after each customer transaction.
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Trader Joe’s locations have taken similar precautions. Crew members have access to gloves and masks and have been encouraged to properly and frequently wash and sanitize their hands, Friend-Daniel says. At the Baton Rouge location, customers’ hands are sprayed with hand sanitizer at the entrance, and carts are wiped down after use.
The company is in the process of installing plexiglass shields at registers at all store locations, according to PR Director Kenya Friend-Daniel, though the Baton Rouge location did not have them at the time of publication.
“All of our stores are doing an incredible job in supporting each other and their communities,” Friend-Daniel says.
Trader Joe’s has reduced store hours, dedicated a special shopping hour for vulnerable customers and suspended the use of all reusable bags in response to the virus. Six-foot markers speckle the aisles of the store to remind customers to social distance while shopping.
And if you have to wait in line to get into the store, it’s because Trader Joe’s was one of the first national grocery stores to limit the amount of customers allowed in stores to aid proper social distancing measures for both shoppers and crew, according to Friend-Daniel.
At Matherne’s Market, plexiglass sneeze guards and six-foot tape lines have been added at all registers, with floor graphics to be added soon. Signs are posted throughout the store reminding customers to social distance, and buggy wipes are available for customers to sanitize their shopping carts before and after use.
Matherne’s employees can wear masks, and the number of customers allowed inside is limited if the store gets too crowded.
Matherne’s owner and manager Ernie “Tony” Matherne Jr. suggests customers follow CDC rules and guidelines as they are released. He says many customers wear masks and gloves while shopping.
For customers who do not want to go into stores, Matherne’s has added online shopping with curbside pick-up and delivery options. The shopping method has been popular, and feedback has been positive, Matherne says.
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All the precautions and policies at these stores are constantly changing as public health requirements change.
“As this unprecedented situation continues to evolve,” Friend-Daniel says, “so will our approach to doing all that we can to safeguard the health and well-being of our crew members and customers.”