By now, you’re familiar with coronavirus shopping etiquette, like keeping wearing a face mask at the grocery store or switching to grocery delivery. Costco, Trader Joe’s, Walmart and many others require shoppers to stay six feet apart during their weekly haul, too. But which grocery store is the safest?
Whole Foods has officially ranked #1 for COVID-19 safety measures, according to a report by Grocery Dive.
This Is How Whole Foods Earned the Title
To report on the safety conditions of major chains, mystery shoppers made more than 5,700 trips to grocery stores across the nation over the past few months. Whole Foods, of course, took the prize. 98% of its employees wore face masks and 91% abided by the six-feet rule. 95% of checkout lanes were outfitted with a plexiglass barrier to keep the germs at bay, and 87% of stores offered contactless payment for maximum distancing.
The mystery shoppers also noted reminder signs to keep their distance. Plus, self-service food bars were closed to prevent too many hands on ladles. Whole Foods went above and beyond by providing customers with face masks and conducting temperature tests on employees pre-shift, too. Whole Foods also offered its employees hazard pay through June 1.
Here’s how to shop safely at your favorite grocery chain right now.
Your Runners-Up Are…
Don’t worry, Costco fans, your favorite retailer is second on the list. Costco enacted a policy to make face masks mandatory for shoppers and employees in-store. As a result, 83% of Costco employees wore masks outside, and 95% suited up indoors.
Trader Joe’s was highly praised for crowd control, too. Customers were asked to line up outside six feet apart to be ushered in when other shoppers made their way back to the parking lot.
Not ready to head into the store? You should give grocery delivery a try.
The post Whole Foods Just Ranked #1 for COVID-19 Safety Measures appeared first on Taste of Home.
Laurie Dixon