Giant Food, Safeway Limit Shoppers, 1-Way Aisles: Coronavirus

MARYLAND — Two major grocery stores in Maryland have implemented measures to promote social distancing during the new coronavirus pandemic. Walmart and Target were the first big box stores to limit the number of customers inside the store and to direct shoppers down aisles with one-way traffic, now Giant Food and Safeway are following suit.

Giant Food said it also is implementing one-way aisle traffic across all its stores. Arrow markers on the floor will establish traffic direction through the aisles and associates will be on hand to point customers in the right direction. Signage also will be available in the store to remind customers to maintain at least six feet of distance from others.

Starting April 9, Giant Food also will limit the number of customers in its stores. Occupancy will be limited to 20 percent of each specific store’s overall capacity, taking into consideration shelving and display fixtures. To manage customer occupancy limits, an associate will be stationed at the front entrance tracking shopper flow. Signage will be placed at front entrances communicating the updated occupancy limits.

“We are continuing to learn and adapt to the new ways of working during this challenging time and believe that these additional measures will allow us to further promote safe social distancing practices in our aisles to keep our customers and associates safe,” said Ira Kress, interim president at Giant Food. “We will continue to look for ways to make shopping as safe and easy as possible to keep our doors open as we provide this essential service to our communities.”

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Giant Foods also has previously designated special shopping hours for senior citizens and immunocompromised individuals. It has increased the sanitizing and disinfecting of "high-touch areas" and equipped associates with personal protection equipment like plastic face shields and gloves, and has disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizers and plexiglass shields at cash registers, pharmacy counters and customer service desks. Giant also offers contactless delivery.

Safeway also is rolling out several new precautionary measures at its stores in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and Washington, D.C., to further protect its employees and customers during the new coronavirus pandemic. This week, stores will feature directional arrows on the floors to promote one-way foot traffic through the stores and in aisles. There already are decals on floors marking off 6-foot spaces at checkout lanes and other areas that tend to form lines.

Stores also will limit occupancy levels to one person per 150 square feet during normal business hours and one person per 300 square feet during special hours reserved for seniors and other high-risk customers, which is on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 7-9 a.m. Pharmacies will open at 8 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays to accommodate for at-risk customers. Each store will utilize one front entrance/exit to ensure enforcement and a store associate will be assigned to the doors to manage traffic.

Safeway also requests that everyone entering the store perform a self-check first, including employees, customers and vendors. Signs posted at entrances and back rooms state that an individual should stay home if:

• a member of their household has been diagnosed with or is suspected to have COVID-19, or
• they have symptoms, including a cough, fever, shortness of breath, sore throat, diarrhea, nausea, or chills and body aches

Safeway stores have assigned associates to positions exclusively responsible for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces throughout the stores. Safeway currently is sourcing reusable masks for its front-line associates and will distribute them as soon as they are available.

Safeway also is reducing its hours of operation from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. to allow for the deep cleaning, sanitizing and restocking of its eastern division stores, with the exception of select stores operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Certain measures have already been incorporated at the stores:

• Installed plexiglass sneeze guards at check stands.
• Placed social distancing posters and floor markers in the stores.
• Paused self-service operations like soup bars, wing bars and salad bars.
• Enhanced measures to clean and disinfect all departments, restrooms and other high-touch points of the stores, every day.
• Making cart wipes and hand sanitizer stations available at key locations within the store for customers’ convenience.
• Ensuring that store associates are able to wash their hands at least one time per hour and reminding them to stay home if they feel sick.

“As we continue to serve our communities during the crisis, the health and safety of everyone who walks through our doors remains a top priority,” said Tom Lofland, president of Safeway’s eastern division. “We appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding during this unprecedented time.”

See more:

• Almost 700 Marylanders Warned For Violating Stay-At-Home Order
• Maryland Coronavirus Cases Swell To 5,529; Officials Say 124 Dead
• MD Students Seek Laptops For Online Learning During Coronavirus