Table 3 Description of thematic analysis of grocery policies/procedures
Policy Theme | Sub-themes | Categories/examples |
|---|---|---|
Employee wellness and supports | Financial supports | Wage supports for employees (e.g. Increased wages, bonuses, financial assistance while self-isolating) Benefits for sick time Benefits for part-time employees |
Social supports | Medical supports (e.g. Access to online healthcare) Social supports (e.g. Associate discount enhanced) | |
Protocol | Stay home if sick Protocols for positive employee COVID-19 test Employee health and wellness checks (e.g. temperature checks) Task force to create protocols and employee responsibilities Employee safety training and compliance | |
Employee guidelines | Travel guidelines for employees Office employees to work remotely | |
Safety measures | Sanitization | Increase surface sanitization Increase employee sanitization Implement customer sanitization |
Personal protection | Wear masks (employees and customers) Optional PPE for employees Installation of protective shields at checkout | |
Preventing spread | Policies regarding use of plastic and reusable bags Cash-free transaction recommendations Limit person-to-person contact (e.g. Customer bagging, contactless delivery) | |
Limited access | Limit customer/store capacity Limit entry/access points and public facilities Limit in-store customer idling | |
Physical distancing | Visual measures for physical distancing (e.g. Floor markers) Spatial measures for physical distancing (e.g. Opening every other check-out counter) Verbal reminders for employees and customers Employee enforcement of customer physical distancing | |
Operational measures | Increased online/delivery capacity | Increase access to grocery delivery service Increase capacity for online grocery ordering Add resources for grocery delivery service Increase access to grocery pick up service |
Coping with increased demand | Limit number of online orders Flexibility in services offered to meet demand Limits on number of products purchased Hiring of temporary staff | |
Operational changes | Product pricing (e.g. Freeze product pricing) Changes to return policy (e.g. No returns) Limit store hours to increase time for cleaning and restocking Change supply and distribution processes | |
Community support | Priority access | Prioritization of grocery delivery for quarantined and high-risk customers Financial incentives for high-risk customers (e.g. Senior or employee discount) Priority online access for healthcare workers Reserve shopping hours for high-risk customers (e.g. Elderly or with pre-existing conditions) |
Collaboration and outreach | Documentation and public disclosure for positive employee COVID-19 test Cease community outreach events Donations to charitable sector and launch charitable food campaign |