Woolworths brings in new ‘trolley rule’ at supermarkets across Australia – and it will change the way you shop for months
- Customers will be required to keep a trolley’s length between each other
- People have also been asked to use tap and go payments to avoid contact
- Woolworths said senior shopping hours and online deliveries would improve
- Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?
Woolworths has announced a series of changes to combat the spread of the COVID-19 including a new ‘trolley rule’.
The changes announced in a recent letter from Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci asked customers to change the way they shopped to minimise contact and maintain social distancing.
Under the new guidelines customers will be asked to maintain one trolley’s length between each other to help maintain the 1.5 metre rule announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday morning.
Woolworths has introduced a new trolley rule where it asks customers to maintain the equivalent length between each other
Markings will also be placed on the ground at registers every 1.5 metres, examples of which have already been seen at post offices in Sydney.
Mr Banducci also asked customers to wash their hands before they came into the store, and to use tap and go methods of payment so staff would not have to handle cash.
‘These are undoubtedly testing times for all Australians, given the impact COVID-19 is having on the way we live. And if you believe the experts, we still have a long way to go,’ Mr Banducci said.
Markings will also be placed every 1.5 metres on the ground at registers, examples of which have already been seen at post offices in Sydney
Last week Woolworths introduced a shopping hour from 7am to 8am that was designed to allow vulnerable older citizen access to basic supplies after panic buying had regularly left shelves stripped bare.
The move was quickly blasted a ‘PR stunt’ with many older people arriving to find empty shelves without vital supplies.
Mr Banducci said efforts were being made to improve the dedicated time slot, as well as access to online shopping orders.
‘It was a rocky start, but it is getting better,’ said Mr Banducci.
Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci admitted that the dedicated senior shopping hour got off to a ‘rocky start’ but promised that it would improve
Customers who are in mandatory isolation, are immune compromised, elderly or suffer from a disability will be able to fill in a form for the online deliveries so they are first in line for supplies.
‘We know that home delivery will only become more important, so we are working hard to ramp this up as much as we can,’ he said.
Food will only be delivered to the front door to minimise customer contact with delivery drivers, while online collect and go services will remain suspended.
Online deliveries will also be prioritised for those who are in mandatory isolation, are immune compromised, elderly or suffer from a disability
Mr Banducci said efforts were being made to keep supplies in stock and pleaded with customers to be respectful to hard-working staff.
Additional hygiene changes will require stores to double their cleaning time and staff held to new stringent standards.
‘We’ve also upgraded to hospital-grade disinfectant and are focusing on regular cleaning of counters and other surfaces,’ said Mr Banducci.
‘And as well as thorough hand washing, you’ll start to see many of our team – including checkout operators – wearing protective gloves.’