Story at a glance
- The move is intended to allow for better physical distancing amid the coronavirus outbreak.
- The new limit will be one person per 120 square feet.
- The grocery store chain has also started testing one-way aisles in some locations.
National grocery store chain Kroger is rolling out additional measures to protect customers and associates amid the coronavirus outbreak that has left more than 11,000 people dead in the United States.
Kroger will now only allow 50 percent of each store’s capacity in to shop at one time starting Tuesday to allow for proper physical distancing in every store, according to a statement released by the company Monday.
America is changing faster than ever. Add Changing America to your Facebook and Twitter feeds to stay up-to-the-second on the latest news and smartest insights.
“Kroger’s introduction of customer capacity limits is one more way we are doing our part to flatten the curve while operating as an essential business, providing our customers with access to fresh, affordable food and products,” Mary Ellen Adcock, Kroger’s senior vice president of operations, said in a statement. “During this national pandemic, we are committed to adopting preventive measures to help protect the safety and health of our associates, customers and communities.”
The standard building capacity for a grocery store is one person per 60 square feet. Under Kroger’s new limits, the number will be one person per 120 square feet. The grocery store chain will monitor the number of customers per square foot in its stores using its QueVision technology, which provides a count of customers entering stores.
READ MORE ABOUT CORONAVIRUS IN AMERICA
HERE ARE THE 6 WAYS THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC COULD END
HERE ARE THE STATES THAT HAVE TOLD THEIR RESIDENTS TO STAY HOME…AND THE ONES THAT HAVEN’T
MORE THAN 200,000 PEOPLE HAVE RECOVERED FROM CORONAVIRUS
HOW TO TELL IF YOU HAVE CORONAVIRUS
The grocery store chain has also started to test one-way aisles in some locations to determine if it’s an effective way to help with social distancing. The company operates more than 2,700 grocery retail stores nationwide under a variety of brand names.
The move comes as federal guidance amid the coronavirus outbreak recommends citizens stay 6 feet apart and avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 people to prevent the further spread of the highly transmissible virus that has infected more than 368,000 people in the U.S.
The majority of states have issued stay-at-home orders, prompting only businesses deemed essential, such as grocery stores and pharmacies, to remain open.
READ MORE OF OUR BREAKING NEWS ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
FAUCI PREDICTS ANOTHER CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK IN THE FALL WITH ‘VERY DIFFERENT’ OUTCOME
AT LEAST 8 STRAINS OF THE CORONAVIRUS HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED
CAN LYSOL OR CLOROX KILL THE CORONAVIRUS?
CAN YOU GET CORONAVIRUS TWICE?
CAN I SHOP FOR GROCERIES SAFELY DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC?
HERE ARE THE BEST MAPS TO CHECK OUT THE CURRENT STATE OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
