As we all continue to navigate through this public health crisis together, Safeway and Albertsons is continuing to do everything we can to prioritize the health and safety of our customers, our communities, and our associates, and to ensure our customers have access to the food, medications, and other essential goods they need during the “Stay At Home” time frame.

Our associates are truly the people to thank for keeping our stores and pharmacies operating to provide an essential service for our customers and the communities we serve.  That is why we announced that our front-line associates will receive a temporary $2 per-hour-worked increase, above and beyond their regular hourly pay and overtime.

In addition, we have implemented several steps to ensure the safety of the people who shop in and work in our stores. For example:

• Plexiglass: As an added precaution in our ongoing efforts to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, we installed Plexiglas partitions in our checkout lanes in all of our stores in Washington. The Plexiglas will serve as protective barrier between customers and cashiers and provide added reassurance and peace of mind.  We ask that customers be mindful in standing behind the partition during their transaction.

• CDC Cleanliness Guidelines: We diligently follow all CDC guidelines for frequent hand washing, hand sanitizer use, and surface cleaning. 

• Running Clean Stores: We’ve taken enhanced measures to clean and disinfect all departments, restrooms and other high-touch points of the store throughout the day, as well as a deep cleanse at the end of each business day. Cart wipes and hand sanitizer stations continue to be available at key locations within the store for your convenience.

• Employee Requests: Per the requests of our employees, we are asking our customers who bring in reusable bags to pack their own groceries.  In addition, employees who would like to wear gloves are permitted to do so.  The company is taking into consideration the use of masks by our employees, but will hold on final decision until hospitals are fully stocked on the masks needed by their medical providers. 

• Adjusted Store Hours: Store have adjusted their hours to 6am – 10pm to give our teams the time they need to restock shelves, deep clean the store in its entirety, and get ready to serve the community. 

• Social Distancing: We have placed posters and tape marks on the floor around the store to remind our customers to practice social distancing and remain six feet – essentially two shopping carts – apart to avoid coming in contact with anyone who may have been infected by COVID-19 but not yet be exhibiting symptoms. We are constantly looking for solutions to help us improve this practice in our stores.  Next week, the stores will begin installing floor decals with instructions.  The ultimate goal is to prevent persons from being within six feet of each other for more than 10 minutes, per CDC guidelines. 

• Dedicated Shopping Windows: We have set aside dedicated shopping hours for senior citizens and other at-risk populations, such as pregnant women or those with compromised immune systems, who have been advised to avoid leaving home as much as possible.  The dedicated times are Tuesday and Thursday, 6am – 9am.  Days may be added if demand increases.  We ask that all customers who are not categorized as “vulnerable” according to the above please respect these hours.  The success of the dedicated hours is dependent on the consideration and compassion of their community. 

• Enhanced Delivery Services: We’ve created “Contact Free” delivery procedures for our team and have changed our signature processes so that our delivery drivers can sign for our customers when delivering orders. This helps reduce traffic in stores.  If our delivery service cannot fulfill an order, Instacart also delivers for Safeway and Albertsons, and has maintained their “Rush Order” service.

• Free Pharmacy Delivery: We are offering free same-day and next-day delivery of prescriptions to patients via ScriptDrop through at least May 1.

We cannot express enough gratitude for our associates’ dedication and commitment during this unprecedented time, as they work to support their neighbors and provide essential service to communities across the country.