Woolworths implements further measures to help keep Victorians Safe

Woolworths

*Editor Note: You may have received a previous version of this release. Please see paragraph 2 with a clarification in bold around nurses and temperature checks being on hand for team members only, not customers.

Woolworths implements further measures to help keep Victorians Safe

Nurses on hand, team leave entitlements, doubling online capacity, further product limits

Friday, 3 July 2020: As the COVID-19 situation continues to unfold in Victoria, Woolworths is reaffirming its commitment to health and safety as it adds further precautionary measures across the state.

In addition to the long standing social distancing and safety measures already in place across Victoria, Woolworths now has nurses in place across its hotspot stores, Victorian distribution centres and customer online fulfilment centre for its team members. Compulsory temperature checks are also taking place for all team members at these sites.

Within supermarkets, store greeters are regularly wiping down trolleys, front of store hosts monitor social distancing around checkouts, a team member monitors customer numbers coming into the store to ensure adherence to the mandatory limits from the Victorian Health Department and there are hand sanitiser stations in each store.

Woolworths has also extended the duration of its vulnerable team leave entitlements until the 29th July 2020. This is for vulnerable team members as defined by the Department of Health including those aged 70 and above. This will ensure they are only returning to work when it is safe to do so. Any Woolworths team member in mandatory self-isolation will continue to be financially supported by the business.

For those in hotspot areas in Melbourne who do not wish to visit a store, Woolworths is offering thousands more weekly online orders with dozens of new trucks recently joining its fleet of more than 300 Victorian vehicles and hundreds of couriers from on-demand delivery partners Sherpa and Drive Yello ready to fulfill orders.

Woolworths’ Priority Assistance service offers dedicated online delivery and Pick up windows to the elderly, people with a disability, those with compromised immunity and people in mandatory self-isolation. More than 330,000 orders have been made to vulnerable customers in Victoria through the program.

To support as many customers in Victoria as possible to access what they need when they shop, Woolworths will be taking further precautionary action by putting additional product limits in place across the state.

Starting today (3 July), there will be a purchase limit of two items on 18 products including frozen vegetables, bread loaves, chilled fresh milk, pre-packed sausages and burger patties as well as tissues. This is in addition to limits that were announced on products last week.

The precautionary move is designed to support appropriate social distancing in stores over the weekend and ensure all customers have access to the products they need. Woolworths continues to see good stock levels flow through its warehouse and into stores.

Woolworths Supermarkets Managing Director, Claire Peters said:

“We care deeply about the wellbeing of our customers and team members and have put a number of further precautionary measures in place to ensure everyone can stay safe.

“We continue to see elevated demand in our supermarkets, but we have good stock levels continuing to flow through our warehouses and into stores.

“We want to reassure everyone in Victoria that our distribution centres, customer online fulfillment 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 fulfill thousands of extra orders each week.”

/Public Release.