Coronavirus Fears and Empty Supermarkets

[klkla]

Albertsons and UFCW want employees to have ‘First Responder Status’. Makes sense to me.

https://www.supermarketnews.com/issues- ... ry-workers

[mjhale]

Does either of these chains even have a way to do online ordering? Somehow I'd think they don't, and since stores that have been doing it for a fair time have had issues with the increased volumes, it doesn't seem like something easy to start up at a time like this.

Aldi has delivery through Instacart. I see that Aldi is also saying they have store pickup in limited markets through Instacart as well.

https://www.aldi.us/en/shop-now/grocery-pickup/

A quick scan of the Trader Joe's web site shows nothing about any sort of online ordering.

[BillyGr]

Does either of these chains even have a way to do online ordering? Somehow I'd think they don't, and since stores that have been doing it for a fair time have had issues with the increased volumes, it doesn't seem like something easy to start up at a time like this.

Aldi has delivery through Instacart. I see that Aldi is also saying they have store pickup in limited markets through Instacart as well.

https://www.aldi.us/en/shop-now/grocery-pickup/

A quick scan of the Trader Joe's web site shows nothing about any sort of online ordering.

I didn't see anything for Trader Joe either - the Aldi one makes sense (letting someone else do the background work that already knows how to set up that type of operation), and actually should be a bit easier to do than most stores given their (normally, anyway) smaller variety of items.

[storewanderer]

Safeway NorCal seems to have made a few changes. First, they have one way aisles now, designated with shoebox sized stickers on the floor (very easy to miss) and I don't see this being followed unless it is policed by employees.

Also the pinpads at checkout are now wrapped in plastic wrap with cuts to insert or swipe a card. They is so they can clean the pinpads without damaging them. The plastic seemed muggy and did not feel very clean when I interacted with it to input my phone number but I am sure it was cleaner than the actual pinpad which they can't properly clean.

The store was not busy at all and overstaffed. It doesn't look like the 20+ foot frozen coffin full of frozen turkey selling at full price has sold very well.

[SamSpade]

Trader Joe's released today a version of their podcast that talks about their COVID-19 response. Here is a link to the transcript (PDF), or you can tune into the podcast wherever you normally find podcasts. (it's generally lighthearted/entertaining)
Transcript: Inside Trader Joes Episode 23

[Super S]

Safeway NorCal seems to have made a few changes. First, they have one way aisles now, designated with shoebox sized stickers on the floor (very easy to miss) and I don't see this being followed unless it is policed by employees.

Also the pinpads at checkout are now wrapped in plastic wrap with cuts to insert or swipe a card. They is so they can clean the pinpads without damaging them. The plastic seemed muggy and did not feel very clean when I interacted with it to input my phone number but I am sure it was cleaner than the actual pinpad which they can't properly clean.

The store was not busy at all and overstaffed. It doesn't look like the 20+ foot frozen coffin full of frozen turkey selling at full price has sold very well.

This poses another problem as people are, as suggested by law enforcement, trying to pull apart pinpads before using to see if a skimming device has been installed. One convenience store near me had somebody lay a skimming device right on top of the pinpad while the clerk was getting a pack of cigarettes. (it was caught on camera)The skimming device was molded to the shape of the specific model of pinpad and went undetected for a couple weeks, it basically was a membrane looking thing which resembled the top of the pinpad. Criminals are getting more sophisticated.

[CalItalian]

Safeway NorCal seems to have made a few changes. First, they have one way aisles now, designated with shoebox sized stickers on the floor (very easy to miss) and I don't see this being followed unless it is policed by employees.

Also the pinpads at checkout are now wrapped in plastic wrap with cuts to insert or swipe a card. They is so they can clean the pinpads without damaging them. The plastic seemed muggy and did not feel very clean when I interacted with it to input my phone number but I am sure it was cleaner than the actual pinpad which they can't properly clean.

The store was not busy at all and overstaffed. It doesn't look like the 20+ foot frozen coffin full of frozen turkey selling at full price has sold very well.

I was in an Albertsons in Riverside County, CA tonight that is doing the same as far as one way aisles. Nobody is paying attention to them. This store doesn't police anyone for anything including mandated masks by the county (which I refuse to wear) where a nearby Vons is.

They also have the pinpad plastic wrap which was only over the pinpad. I asked the self checkout cashier how often they change them and he didn't know. He told me he hasn't been told to change them.

Still seeing no paper products, alcohol/hydrogen peroxide, baby products. Water has pretty much returned, all brands.

[Greggo]

Here in Texas, H-E-B has solved the toilet paper problem by trucking in supplies from Mexico. The store I was at today in Austin had an entire aisle (!!!) and an endcap filled with 4-packs of chamomile-scented Vogue toilet paper, a brand sold by Kimberly-Clark’s Mexico division.

[storewanderer]

I was in a number of Raleys stores the past few days. About half of them had toilet paper. Of the ones that had toilet paper:
Food Source: They had 2 pallets of Jubilee brand 12 pack mega rolls. Food Source usually sells this brand, but Raleys does not. This is Made in USA (for some reason I thought that brand wasn't). Quantity limit of 2 per customer posted. No other paper products of any kind available.

Raleys 1: They had a lot of boxes of 4pk Simply Done Bath Tissue, some on the shelf, some on the aisle.

Raleys 2: They had a lot of the same 4pk Simply Done Bath Tissue, but also some 12 packs of Simply Done Bath Tissue (both marked quantity limit 1), then they had a pallet of hotel type bath tissue each roll individually wrapped, at .89 per roll limit 2. Those have no UPC.

Raleys 3: This was very weird. About half of the paper product aisle now has bottled water on it. I went into this one very late and they were restocking. They had exactly 4 large packs (18 roll, 24 roll, type sizes) sitting on the floor; 1 Northern, 2 Charmin, and 1 Simply Done.

Safeway seems to be getting worse again. This afternoon in Sparks, no dozen or 18pk eggs of any kind (it is Easter tomorrow...), no bananas, no limes, appeared other produce was missing too but did not pay too much attention to what else was missing as I was just trying to get what I was looking for and leave. Of course no paper products, but that is nothing new. Canned food may be improving a little but still so many out of stocks, way more than anywhere else at this point.

[Alpha8472]

Things are getting better with stocking. I have found hand sanitizer, bleach, toilet paper, kleenex, and paper towels at Walmart.

However, some Walmart Neighborhood Markets are now closing at 6 pm. These neighborhood markets really do not do that much business especially when there are larger Walmarts nearby.