Coronavirus Australia: Woolworths introduces dedicated shopping hour

Woolworths has introduced “exclusive” shopping time for the elderly and disabled after heartbreaking images of people in empty aisles went viral.

Supermarket giant Woolworths will introduce a dedicated shopping hour for the elderly and people with disabilities, prompted by the “unprecedented demand” of groceries during the coronavirus pandemic.

The initiative will be between 7am and 8am from Tuesday, March 17 until at least Friday, “exclusively” for people with a government-issued concession card.

“The move has been prompted by the unprecedented demand in supermarkets over the past week, which has seen many elderly and vulnerable people in the community missing out on vital items they may need when they shop,” Woolworths said in a statement this morning.

The stores will open to all customers from 8am.

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Empty shelves of tissues at Woolworths Town Hall in Sydney, Friday, March 13, 2020. Picture: Bianca De Marchi/AAP

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“While we’ll continue to do our very best to restock our stores during this period of unprecedented demand, we know many of our elderly customers have been missing out on essential items when they shop,” Woolworths Supermarkets managing director Claire Peters said.

“This temporary measure will give them, and those with a disability, the opportunity to shop before our stores officially open – helping them obtain the essential items they need most in a less crowded environment.

“We continue to encourage all Australians to be mindful of those in our communities who might need extra help at this time. Now – more than ever – we need to be kind to each other, especially to those most vulnerable.”

We’re launching a dedicated shopping hour in our stores to help support the needs of the elderly & people with disability in the community. From tomorrow until at least friday, we’ll be opening exclusively for them to shop from 7-8am, where permitted.

— Woolworths (@woolworths) March 15, 2020

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunrise this morning praised the dedicated shopping hour.

“Common sense, great idea, well done,” he said.

“Let’s look after each other and help each other out.”

Host Lisa Wilkinson raised the idea on The Sunday Project last night.

“Supermarket bosses, can I suggest you think about leaving that first hour of trading each day for the elderly and those with disabilities, or those who can prove they are shopping for them,” she said.

“No huge crowds, everything restocked and freshly cleaned. That is a no-brainer.”

Woolworths said the full terms and conditions and any store exclusions would be available on its website later on Monday.

50-metre lines at Woolworths as coronavirus shopping panic escalates. Picture: Twitter

Meanwhile, the small national supermarket chain IGA is considering whether to roll out a pensioners and seniors-only shopping hour across its 1300 Australian stores.

The idea is being trialled at an IGA in Melbourne’s Altona with a shopping hour between 6am to 7am.

“I would think that we could make a decision as a network in the next 24-48 hours,” IGA Chief Executive Fred Harrison told Nine.

“(Yesterday) I went into our Mount Eliza store and a customer I knew came up and spoke to me and said that senior lady down the aisle is absolutely crying her eyes out.

“I said, ‘why, what is wrong’? She said she had been in eight consecutive mornings to buy toilet roll, we had none and she was beside herself.”

Proprietor Hitesh Kumar Palta said their priority is ensuring “everyone has the ability to purchase essential items during this uncertain time”.

“It is widely known that those most affected with the increase of consumerism are seniors and people with disabilities,” he said in a statement, circulating on social media.

“They simply cannot compete and are often left behind.

“Due to this observation, IGA Pier St Altona will open its door an hour before normal trading hours to accommodate.”

With AAP