CLEVELAND — Ohio governor Mike DeWine and state officials have made it clear that grocery stores will remain open in Ohio during the coronavirus pandemic and that the public can still travel to purchase items from those stores during the recent "stay at home" order.
One supermarket chain is prepared to ensure the highest levels of sanitization while its stores continue to operate during the COVID-19 crisis.
Giant Eagle announced on Monday that its stores will be installing plexiglass dividers to checkout, along with customer service areas within Giant Eagle, Market District, Pharmacy and GetGo locations.
The supermarket also announced it will be installing floor indicators and signage at checkout lanes, visually indicating appropriate social distance between guests.
Giant Eagle is also asking guests to refrain from bringing reusable bags into stores.
Giant Eagle Spokesperson Dan Donovan said these new measures are all about safety.
“These are just a few examples of the steps we are taking to safeguard the health and wellbeing of both our Team Members and guests," Donovan said.
“We are not wavering in our commitment to providing an unparalleled guest service or a future free of single-use plastics, but rather are asking our guests to take this opportunity to help us promote the safest shopping experience possible.”
Giant Eagle announced that as social distancing continues to be a vital element in slowing the spread of COVID-19, the stores will be modifying checkout areas in its supermarket, GetGo and Pharmacy locations to help provide peace of mind to Team Members and guests.
Pieces of plexiglass will be affixed to each register, and placed at its pharmacy and customer service counters, serving as a divider between guests and the Team Members processing their transactions. The company said it is working around the clock on these enhanced efforts, and the vast majority of Giant Eagle and GetGo stores are expected to have the modifications completed by the end of the week.
Giant Eagle has also made the decision to temporarily discontinue reusable bag use in its stores out of an abundance of caution as the company works to ensure the safest possible environment for its Team Members and guests.
All guest purchases across all Giant Eagle locations will be bagged in either single-use plastic bags or paper bags, both of which will be available at no charge. Giant Eagle is also temporarily pausing its fuelperks+ “one perk per reusable bag used” promotion to discourage reusable bag use.