Kroger Now Requiring Employees To Wear Masks: GA Coronavirus

GEORGIA — Kroger has announced it will now require its employees to wear face masks or coverings to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.

The grocery chain announced Sunday the new policy will apply to its Georgia, South Carolina and eastern Alabama stores, the AJC reported.

“Without a doubt, COVID-19 has changed our lives dramatically,” Corporate Affairs Manager Felix Turner said. “Our associates are on the front lines when it comes to ensuring customers have access to fresh food and supplies. Their safety has and will remain top priority.”

Earlier this month, the chain said it was encouraging associates to wear protective masks and gloves. The retailer said on April 6 it ordered masks for associates nationwide, with supply starting to arrive in select regions and the anticipation of all locations having supply by the end of that week.

The retailer also began limiting the number of customers to half of the international building code's calculated capacity to allow for proper physical distancing in every store on April 7.

"Kroger's introduction of customer capacity limits is one more way we are doing our part to flatten the curve while operating as an essential business, providing our customers with access to fresh, affordable food and products," said Mary Ellen Adcock, Kroger's senior vice president of operations. "During this national pandemic, we are committed to adopting preventive measures to help protect the safety and health of our associates, customers and communities."

As an illustration, the standard building capacity for a grocery store is 1 person per 60 square feet. Under Kroger's new reduced capacity limits, the number will be 1 person per 120 square feet. Kroger will begin to monitor the number of customers per square foot in its stores using its industry-leading QueVision technology, which already provides a count of the customers entering and exiting stores.

"By leveraging QueVision, our technology system that uses infrared sensors and predictive analytics, we will be able to more efficiently support our new capacity limits, creating a safer environment for our customers and associates," said Yael Cosset, Kroger's chief technology and digital officer.

Kroger's new customer capacity limits joins other measures the retailer has established over the last few weeks to promote physical distancing, including the addition of plexiglass partitions and educational floor decals and airing of a healthy habits message via in-store radio to encourage customers to practice good hygiene and spatial awareness.

The retailer started testing temperature checks in its distribution centers several weeks ago and is beginning to expand associate temperature checks to stores. Kroger and its affiliates are following local ordinances in cities or counties that mandate employee temperature checks, and associates may also request to have their temperature taken at work.

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