Companies operating hundreds of grocery stores across New England are planning to add new physical barriers between customers and employees at checkout lines, in an attempt to limit the spread of coronavirus.Stop & Shop, Shaw's and Star Market are all planning to install the precautionary barriers in the near future, according to corporate statements. "Beginning this week we'll be installing plexiglass shields at each of our registers," said Stop & Shop spokesperson Jennifer Brogan. "That's to protect both our cashiers and our customers who are checking out." A spokesperson for Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons, which operates Shaw's and Star Market, said the company plans to have the shields installed at over 2,200 of its stores within two weeks. Both companies have also started placing signs reminding customers and staff to maintain 6 feet of physical distance from each other throughout the grocery stores. Albertsons compared that distance to "essentially two shopping carts.""We'll be putting tape on the floor to show customers how far back 6 feet is from the pin pad and how far they should be standing away from other customers while they're waiting in line," Brogan said about Stop & Shop stores. At the Pittsburgh-linked Giant Eagle and Market District grocery stores, customer service areas, pharmacies and GetGo convenience stores, plexiglass dividers are also being installed at checkouts. Shoppers there are also expected to have floor indicators to let them know the appropriate social distance at checkout lanes. Safeway, which was headquartered in Pleasanton, California, and is part of Albertsons due to a merger, is installing plexiglass screens at all of its checkout counters across the country.

Companies operating hundreds of grocery stores across New England are planning to add new physical barriers between customers and employees at checkout lines, in an attempt to limit the spread of coronavirus.



Stop & Shop, Shaw's and Star Market are all planning to install the precautionary barriers in the near future, according to corporate statements.


Stop & Shop

"Beginning this week we'll be installing plexiglass shields at each of our registers," said Stop & Shop spokesperson Jennifer Brogan. "That's to protect both our cashiers and our customers who are checking out."

A spokesperson for Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons, which operates Shaw's and Star Market, said the company plans to have the shields installed at over 2,200 of its stores within two weeks.

Both companies have also started placing signs reminding customers and staff to maintain 6 feet of physical distance from each other throughout the grocery stores. Albertsons compared that distance to "essentially two shopping carts."

"We'll be putting tape on the floor to show customers how far back 6 feet is from the pin pad and how far they should be standing away from other customers while they're waiting in line," Brogan said about Stop & Shop stores.

At the Pittsburgh-linked Giant Eagle and Market District grocery stores, customer service areas, pharmacies and GetGo convenience stores, plexiglass dividers are also being installed at checkouts.

Shoppers there are also expected to have floor indicators to let them know the appropriate social distance at checkout lanes.



Safeway, which was headquartered in Pleasanton, California, and is part of Albertsons due to a merger, is installing plexiglass screens at all of its checkout counters across the country.