LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Shopping at Kroger will look a lot different starting Tuesday.

The company announced Monday it would start limiting customers to 50% of stores' capacity on Tuesday to better encourage social distancing. There are at least 20 Kroger locations in Louisville and five across the river in Southern Indiana.

The new rule means for every 120 square feet, only one customer will be allowed inside stores.

A traditional grocery-pharmacy store of 60,000 to 75,000 square feet would allow 500 to 625 shoppers at a time. Marketplace stores that are 125,000 square feet or larger would permit more than 1,000 shoppers at a time.

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"Kroger's introduction of customer capacity limits is one more way we are doing our part to flatten the curve while operating as an essential business, providing our customers with access to fresh, affordable food and products," Senior Vice President Mary Ellen Adcock said in a statement.

"During this national pandemic, we are committed to adopting preventive measures to help protect the safety and health of our associates, customers and communities," Adcock said.

Store management will keep track of everyone coming in and out of locations through a tracking technology, QueVision, which uses infrared sensors and predictive analytics, according to Kroger.

Some Louisville shoppers think it's a good move. It gets a big thumbs-up from Russell Rase, a Hikes Point Kroger shopper.

"It makes sense," he said. "It's a good idea. Flatten the curve." He knows people are doing what they can to keep apart, he said from behind a painting respirator.

"I think people are trying to avoid problems by keeping distant and avoiding crowds," he said. "If it helps people avoid close contact, I think it's a good thing."

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Another shopper, Shacorra Carter, said the new rules sound like "the best thing."

She sees people in grocery stores all the time not following social distancing or good sanitation, she said, but she is worried about panic with the new guidelines, especially among people with children on tight schedules and elderly people.

"If they're waiting in line, and they have to get home by a certain time, but they can't get in the store to get dinner made ... it's gonna be an uproar," she said.

In addition to the distancing guidelines, Kroger employees are encouraged to wear gloves and masks, the company announced. And, in some Kroger markets, one-way aisles are being tested for effectiveness, the company said in a statement.

A Kroger spokeswoman did not return a phone call from The Courier Journal about whether Louisville's locations will be among the ones testing one-way aisles.

Kroger isn't alonein cracking down on guidelines at its locations.

Walmart announced Friday that it is restricting shoppers to 20% of its capacity, keeping shoppers socially distanced and moving to one-way aisles.

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The Cincinnati Enquirer contributed to this report. Reach breaking news reporter Sarah Ladd at sladd@courier-journal.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ladd_sarah. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/subscribe.