WOOLWORTHS EXPANDS PRODUCT RESTRICTIONS, BRINGS IN NURSES IN VICTORIA

DAVID ROSS

JULY 3, 2020

The Australian

WOOLWORTHS HAS ANNOUNCED FURTHER PRODUCT RESTRICTIONS AT ITS STORES AND THE ROLLOUT OF TEMPERATURE CHECKS FOR ALL STAFF AT SITES IN VICTORIA AS PART OF ITS RESPONSE TO THE OUTBREAK OF NEW COVID-19 CASES. 

WOOLWORTHS CUSTOMERS ARE NOW RESTRICTED TO TWO ITEMS PER PERSON ACROSS AN ADDITIONAL 18 PRODUCT LINES INCLUDING FROZEN VEGETABLES, BREAD LOVES, CHILLED FRESH MILK, PRE-PACKAGED SAUSAGES AND BURGERS, AS WELL AS TISSUES, THE COMPANY ANNOUNCED.

THESE RESTRICTIONS ARE IN ADDITION TO EXISTING PRODUCT LIMITS ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK INCLUDING TWO PER-PERSON LIMITS ON TOILET PAPER.

COLES ANNOUNCED SIMILAR RESTRICTIONS ON THURSDAY AFTER AN OUTBREAK OF SIX CORONAVIRUS CASES AT ITS LAVERTON CHILLED DISTRIBUTION FACILITY IN MELBOURNE.

THE MOVE FROM WOOLWORTHS ALSO SEES NURSES PUT IN PLACE ACROSS ITS STORES, DISTRIBUTION CENTRES AND ONLINE FULFILMENT CENTRE IN HOTSPOT AREAS IN VICTORIA AND AN EXPANSION OF ITS LEAVE ALLOWANCES FOR VULNERABLE STAFF WORKING IN HOTSPOT AREAS.

WOOLWORTHS HAS EXPANDED VULNERABLE TEAM LEAVE UNTIL 29 JULY FOR STAFF DEEMED VULNERABLE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, INCLUDING THOSE OLDER THAN 70 OR WITH PRE-EXISTING CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS.

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THE SUPERMARKET HAS ALSO SAID IT WOULD CONTINUE TO FINANCIALLY SUPPORT ANY WORKERS REQUIRED TO STAY IN MANDATORY SELF-ISOLATION.

“THIS WILL ENSURE THEY ARE ONLY RETURNING TO WORK WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO,” THE SUPERMARKET SAID IN A STATEMENT.

FRIDAY’S ANNOUNCEMENT COMES AFTER A WOOLWORTHS STAFF MEMBER AT ITS BALMAIN STORE IN SYDNEY TESTED POSITIVE TO CORONAVIRUSAFTER WORKING AT THE SUPERMARKET FOR TWO DAYS.

THE STAFF MEMBER HAD RECENTLY RETURNED FROM MELBOURNE WHERE HE HAD BEEN IN TWO WEEKS QUARANTINE.

THE SUPERMARKET HAS ALSO SAID IT WOULD BRING ON NEW DELIVERY TRUCKS AS PART OF ITS 300-STRONG VICTORIAN VEHICLE FLEET TO MEET THE BOOMING DEMAND FOR ONLINE ORDERS.

MORE THAN 330,000 DELIVERIES HAVE BEEN MADE TO VULNERABLE CUSTOMERS AND THE ELDERLY IN VICTORIA AS PART OF THE WOOLWORTHS’ PRIORITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

WOOLWORTHS SUPERMARKETS MANAGING DIRECTOR, CLAIRE PETERS, SAID THE MEASURES HAD BEEN PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE SAFETY.

“WE CONTINUE TO SEE ELEVATED DEMAND IN OUR SUPERMARKETS, BUT WE HAVE GOOD STOCK LEVELS CONTINUING TO FLOW THROUGH OUR WAREHOUSES AND INTO STORES,” SHE SAID.

“WE WANT TO REASSURE EVERYONE IN VICTORIA THAT OUR DISTRIBUTION CENTRES, CUSTOMER ONLINE FULFILMENT CENTRE AND OUR SUPERMARKETS REMAIN OPEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE AS ESSENTIAL SERVICES FOR THE CUSTOMERS AND COMMUNITIES THAT DEPEND ON THEM.

“IF YOU’RE IN A HOTSPOT AREA, WE WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER DOING YOUR GROCERY SHOPPING ONLINE IF POSSIBLE. TOGETHER WITH OUR ON-DEMAND COURIER PARTNERS, WE ARE ABLE TO FULFIL THOUSANDS OF EXTRA ORDERS EACH WEEK.”

TODAY’S MOVES FROM THE SUPERMARKET COME ON TOP OF EXISTING HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES INCLUDING REGULAR CLEANING OF TROLLEYS AND CHECKOUT AND RESTRICTIONS ON STORE CUSTOMER NUMBERS.