Coronavirus: Woolworths ask customers to keep one trolley apart, limits fresh milk

First the supermarkets put in limits on what we can buy, now Woolies has a strict regime to keep stores clean and maintain social distancing at the checkout.

Supermarket chain Woolworths will ask customers to physically change the way they shop due to the coronavirus threat.

In a letter to customers sent out Fridy evening, Woolworths Group chief executive officer Brad Banducci admitted it was “no longer business as usual” at the retailer.

He also said that some product shortages were “inevitable” and acknowledged the “rocky start” to the elderly only shopping hour, which led to grumbles people still couldn’t get what they wanted despite queuing from before dawn.

The most significant in the series of new measures is to maintain social distancing in busy supermarkets.

The chain will now ask people to keep a trolley length between them and other customers. It will also ask people to pay with tap and go “whenever you can” to avoid staff touching notes and coins.

Woolworths is to ask customers to keep the equivalent of one trolley’s length apart from one another.

NEW RULES

NEW PRODUCT LIMITS

Woolworths is asking customers to only buy what they need. “If we all do this, there is more than enough to go around,” Mr Banducci said.

Customers are limited to one pack of toilet paper, baby wipes, antibacterial wipes, paper towels, serviettes and rice (over 2kg). There are no restrictions on things like fresh fruit and vegetables, meat (excluding mince), canned fish, drinks, baby food, and dog and cat food.

PRIORITY DELIVERIES

Woolworths has also introduced Priority Assistance home deliveries to help the elderly, people with disability, those with compromised immunity and those in mandatory isolation.

To apply for Priority Assistance delivery, complete the form here.

DEDICATED SHOPPING HOUR

This week, Woolworths introduced a dedicated hour for the elderly and people with disabilities to shop between 7am and 8am before it opens to everyone.

Mr Banducci said it was a “rocky” start, but it is getting better.

“And because we want to do whatever we can to help those most in need, we’ve decided to extend it for at least another week.”

ONLINE ORDERS FOR PICK UP AND DELIVERY

To help its stores cope with the huge increase in demand, Woolworths has had to suspend Pick up in all stores, and have paused home deliveries in many areas.

“However, we know that home delivery will only become more important, so we are working hard to ramp this up as much as we can,” Mr Banducci said.

SOCIAL DISTANCING

Woolworths introduced some sensible guidelines for social distancing in store.

These include using the size of your trolley as a distance guide between customers and other shoppers, following markers on the floor at the check-outs and using tap-and-pay whenever possible.

Customers are also asked to wash or sanitise their hands before they come into a store.

‘NO LONGER BUSINESS AS USUAL’

“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 wrote in the memo.

“At Woolworths, we accept that this is no longer business as usual.

“In the last four weeks, we have seen a huge surge in demand, which inevitably means you’re seeing material product shortages on our shelves.”

RELATED: What panic buying says about Australians

He said Woolworths needed customers to help them ensure there was enough products for everyone.

The changes were being introduced, “in the spirit of fairness for all Australians, especially those who need our help the most, we have made some changes”.

Chilled milk is the latest product to have restrictions applied to it. Customers can now buy two milks per customer.

RAMP UP ONLINE

Stores will also double the amount of time spent on cleaning. In some supermarkets this will mean 10 hours a day will be dedicated to cleaning.

“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.”

A controversial change introduced last week will remain in place – that’s the 7am-8am dedicated hour for the elderly and people with disabilities for a further week.

Last week, there were furious scenes when some older shoppers found they still couldn’t get the items they needed despite rising before dawn.

“It was a rocky start, but it is getting better,” said Mr Banducci.

Woolworths said it its online pick up service from stores will remain unavailable.

It will also prioritise online orders to the elderly, people with a disability, those with compromised immunity and those in mandatory isolation. Woolworths has an online form for these people to fill in to help them get earlier delivery windows.

But Mr Banducci said they were looking to increase the overall availability of online slots, the lack of which has been a bug bear for many shoppers.

“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.

Woolworths Group DEO Brad Banducci said it was ‘no longer business as usual’.

All home deliveries will now be contactless with Woolies’ staff leaving groceries at the front door in reusable bags. Staff will not deliver to bench tops.

Last week, Woolies put a two-product limit on most packaged products. On Friday, the company announced chilled milk would be added to the list of products that are limited to two per customer. Flavoured milks are excepted.

However, there are many exceptions across the store including tinned fish, bakery items, seafood, yoghurt, baby food, pet food, fresh food and meat excluding mince.

Similar limits have been put in place at IGA, Aldi and Coles stores.

All the major retailers, and the government, have said there is no problem with the supply to supermarkets with Australia producing three times the food it needs. The issue is on the demand side with shoppers continuing to stock up above and beyond what they actually need.

Mr Banducci once again reiterated his plea for customers to respect Woolies staff who he said were “proud to serve” their local communities.