A ‘thank you’ parade of local fire trucks, police vehicles and ambulances passes by the Giant store in Lower Saucon Township on Thursday, April 9. The parade was organized by first responders to help show support for the store’s employees, who have been working long hours under stressful conditions since the COVID-19 pandemic began more than a month ago.
The Giant Company announced Saturday that it is joining other major retailers in limiting the number of customers in its stores as part of ongoing efforts to support social distancing practices that help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The company said in a news release that beginning Monday, April 13, it will limit the number of customers who may be in a store at one time.
“The number of customers permitted at one time varies by location and has been determined based on several factors including occupancy and selling square feet,” the news release said. Most other retailers that are limiting the number of customers allowed in their stores are limiting the number to 15 or 20 percent of whatever a store’s maximum occupancy allowed by law is.
Giant said it is also asking that customers limit the size of their shopping party to one member per household “as much as possible,” as doing so helps to reduce the number of people inside stores and helps support social distancing.
To manage customer occupancy limits, Giant said a team member from each store will be stationed at the front entrance to track shopper flow into the store. When the store has reached capacity, customers will be asked to stand six feet apart in a line outside, to maintain social distancing. As customers exit, those in line will be allowed in the store.
Over the past week, Giant has instituted one entrance-one exit protocols, one-way aisles and socially distanced register queuing in all its stores.
In-store signage has been posted to communicate the new measures and designate traffic direction.
Giant said that in alignment with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) it is providing face shields and masks to all team members, who are required to wear them while in stores. They may also wear gloves if they choose to.
“This pandemic has reaffirmed the critical role grocery plays in our local communities and we appreciate our customers’ cooperation as we implement additional measures to help keep both them and our team members safe,” said Giant president Nicholas Bertram in the news release. “In addition, as we remain focused on providing this essential service, we also ask our customers to do their part by shopping with as few family members as possible and buying only what they need at this time.”
In recent weeks, Giant has implemented other policies as a result of the ongoing pandemic, including designating special shopping hours for older and immunocompromised customers, opening in-store pharmacies early at 6 a.m. every Wednesday to accommodate immunocompromised and older individuals, encouraging all associates and customers to practice social distancing in all areas of stores and to use full-size carts to help with that, installing checkstand partitions at registers and in other close contact areas, and increasing in-store cleaning and sanitizing efforts. Giant Direct has also implemented contactless delivery.
To learn more about Giant’s ongoing efforts to help keep customers and team members safe during the coronavirus pandemic, visit GiantFoodStores.com.
