Tesco sets out guidelines for safer shopping
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THE branches of Tesco in Wick and Thurso are following company guidelines to help keep staff and customers in a "safe and clean environment".
Tesco Wick, for example, has implemented a well-defined entrance and exit that shoppers are urged to adhere to in an attempt to maintain social distancing advice.
Dave Lewis, CEO of the company, said: "Our colleagues have risen brilliantly to the challenges of recent days, but this challenge is unprecedented and inevitably, despite our hard work and best intentions, not everything has or will go exactly to plan.
"But we’ll be informed by the latest guidance from the Government, and we’ll keep going."
He said that to ensure more people have access to everyday essentials, the company has introduced a store-wide restriction of three items per customer on every product line and removed multi-buy promotions.
"In product areas where demand is particularly high, we have simplified our range to get more of the most popular products on shelves."
He went on to state that a special hour has been introduced in stores for NHS workers "as a thank-you for all they are doing".
"On Sundays, they can browse our large stores and select their shopping an hour before the checkouts open. All we ask is, if you’re an NHS worker, that you bring a form of ID to the store, such as an NHS staff card.
"We have listened to feedback and are looking at how we can extend this to include extra days."
Vulnerable and elderly customers have prioritised shopping for one hour every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning between 9am and10am.
Mr Lewis accepted there were difficulties in arranging delivery slots but was looking at increasing the number.
"We are at full capacity for the next few weeks and we ask those who are able to safely come to stores to do so, instead of shopping online, so that we can start to free up more slots for the more vulnerable," he said.
"We have more stock coming into stores every day, with up to double the usual amounts of key essentials arriving – but we need everyone’s help. Please buy only what you need, so that there is enough for everyone."
Social distancing measures are in operation with directional arrows on the floor and new signage to create a safe flow around the store.
Other floor markings will help shoppers keep a safe distance from each other while waiting to pay.
Numbers entering the store are being limited as well to avoid congestion.
Mr Lewis said: "We are fully supporting our team of more than 300,000 Tesco colleagues, many of whom will be affected by this situation personally or will need to care for their own loved ones.
"The countless messages of gratitude I’ve received are testament to the incredible job they are doing, at a time when our stores have never been busier. Your small gestures and kind words really do go a long way."
He said that Tesco employs over 3000 workers over the age of 70 who, along with pregnant staff, have been given 12 weeks’ fully paid absence.
"Colleagues who are in isolation are receiving full pay from their first day of absence, so that nobody finds themselves in a situation where they have to work when unwell.
"To help support our team, we are recruiting an additional 20,000 temporary colleagues. We’ve already appointed 12,500 but we will need more.
"We are also bringing in 8,000 new colleagues in driving roles and we are training them as fast as we can.
The CEO asked the public to be aware of the following guidelines:
- Please check your store's opening hours in advance.
- Before you leave home, please bring enough bags for your shop. If it’s raining, don’t forget an umbrella too, in case you need to queue outside the store.
- Try to shop with no more than one other person, which will help to reduce the number of people in-store at any one time.
- Please use the cleaning stations to wipe your trolley, basket, or Scan as you Shop handset.
- If possible, use card or contactless payments.
- Please avoid shopping during the dedicated times for vulnerable and elderly people, and NHS workers, and be kind to the staff.
"We want to thank our suppliers, our colleagues – and especially you, our customers – for understanding and helping," he said.
