Over the past month and a half, the deadly COVID-19 pandemic has completely changed every aspect of life globally, whether it be physically or mentally.
The major changes include quarantines, severe health implementations, enforced social distancing and the cancellations, postponements and/or closures of non-essential businesses.
One essential business that has kept its doors open is Publix Supermarkets, which is prominent in central Florida and a common workplace for Daytona State College students. According to Publix Corporate, March 12 was the company’s busiest day in its 90-year history. Customers arrived in droves to stock up on groceries needed for the future. By the end of the week, Publix had made a billion dollars more than projected in revenue, making it also the busiest week in its history.
As the coronavirus has become more of a threat and reality over the following weeks, Publix has begun to implement new safety policies for both their customers and associates. These include constant cart sanitization, “touch point” sanitization, social distancing floor markings, plexiglass at checkout lanes, arrows on the floor to help facilitate one-way travel, the shutdown of health-risking services, customer capacity limitations and the allowed use of gloves by associates. On April 20, Publix and Walmart mandated that all associates must wear masks.
“We are providing face coverings for all of our associates and plastic gloves for customer service and pharmacy associates until our supplies are depleted,” Publix officials said in an online statement. “At that time, associates are required to provide their own face covering, and customer service and pharmacy associates may use their personal supply of gloves.”
Publix and other stores have also imposed limits on certain items to combat the global issue of hoarding. One of the main items being hoarded is toilet paper, which flies off the shelves as soon as it is stocked.
Tiana Hardy, a six-year cashier for Publix, explained the customer reaction to the pandemic. “I feel like a lot of people have anxiety and are thinking that it’s every man for themselves when you should be thinking of others,” she said. “They’re not taking this lightly. I also tell a lot of customers that you can tell when the government makes a big announcement because you have all of these people rushing into the store and buying everything at once. I feel like it’s been getting better and better as of late when it comes to our stocking and less hoarding.”
Publix has also given associates two $50 store gift cards, an automatic raise and provided them with food and drinks on a daily basis to provide thanks for the life-risking work they have provided. Furthermore, they have also made an abundance of hires company-wide to help those in need who may have lost their job and are struggling to produce an income.
Many retailers have reserved early shopping hours for only at-risk populations, including senior shopping hours and an hour for first responders. For more information on these reserved shopping hours, click here.
(Kyra Leiberman/In Motion)