Last updated on April 2nd, 2020 at 12:00 pm
The Covid-19 pandemic continues to affect all aspects of American life. Grocers are adjusting hours and reaching out to help their communities in a variety of ways. Also, the public health emergency is causing postponements of public gathering, including grocery store grand openings. State governments also are working to help grocery retailers meet customers’ needs. In the Southwest, Whole Foods is postponing the opening of its new Colorado store and H-E-B is launching community care efforts across Texas. And in Arkansas, the office of Alcohol Beverage Control and Gov. Asa Hutchinson are allowing beer and wine delivery by grocers in the state who are licensed to sell alcohol. And Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge is reminding retailers of the state’s price gouging laws.
Whole Foods Market in Castle Rock postpones grand opening
Due to the evolving Covid-19 situation, Whole Foods Market has postponed the opening of its new Castle Rock, Colorado, store, which originally was scheduled for April 2.
The new 43,000-s.f. store will be located at 6384 Promenade Parkway.
Details on the new opening date will be shared as soon as possible.
H-E-B launches community care efforts across Texas
H-E-B has launched Texans Helping Texans, a community-outreach initiative that’s guided by digital innovation, compassionate philanthropy and the generous spirit and strength that brings together all Texans during uncertain times, the company says.
Helping seniors shop the safest way
Texas seniors need help—H-E-B and Favor are taking help to them.
H-E-B, in partnership with Favor Delivery, will launch a simple, low-cost solution that gives seniors access to their very own personal shopper by phone, allowing them to get essential food and supplies delivered to them, while remaining in the comfort and safety of their home. Seniors across Texas, age 60 and older, are now able to place orders with Favor using a curated list of products available from H-E-B.
“We heard from our customers loud and clear, and we’re ready to offer one of the safest, healthiest solutions in the marketplace dedicated to seniors who are worried about going out in public,” said Martin Otto, H-E-B chief operating officer. “Together with Favor, H-E-B is committed to helping Texans get the products they need while slowing the spread of coronavirus in our communities.”
H-E-B and Favor will staff its Senior Support phone line with volunteers from both companies to accept and process orders over the phone from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., seven days a week. To access the Senior Support Line, call 1-833-397-0080.
Built by the Favor engineering team, this system allows company volunteers to process orders remotely from across the state. Seniors also can place their orders on Favor’s website, or by downloading the Favor app and searching for “H-E-B.”
“Through this same-day service, a Favor Runner will personally shop all orders at H-E-B and deliver directly to the customer’s doorstep within just a few hours,” said Jag Bath, Favor CEO and H-E-B chief digital officer. “To further promote social distancing, runners will leave all orders placed through the Senior Support Line at the customer’s doorstep, eliminating close personal interaction.”
All delivery and service fees are waived for the first 30 days of the program. Further helping Texans, orders will include a $10 tip, which goes entirely to the Favor runner, who will personally shop and deliver items.
To start, the Senior Shopping Support Line will be available from more than 240 H-E-B locations where Favor operates, with plans to quickly expand this service.
To find out more about the program, visit favordelivery.com/senior.
Compassionate philanthropy
In those areas where the delivery service is not yet available, H-E-B is working directly with local nonprofits to provide support to its most vulnerable neighbors: seniors, children and low-income families. Along with providing innovative solutions to help those in need, H-E-B is dedicated to the communities it serves, recently making a $3 million donation to support Texas nonprofits that provide aid to vulnerable communities and organizations conducting groundbreaking coronavirus research. Additionally, H-E-B delivered 15 truckloads of food and household supplies to Texas food banks.
#TexansHelpingTexans
H-E-B also launched its Texans Helping Texans checkstand donation campaign in all its stores across the state, giving customers the opportunity to support several organizations providing essential services such as United Way, Meals on Wheels and Feeding Texas. Customers can contribute by making monetary donations at the register for $1, $3 or $5.
As schools are closed, events cancelled and jobs put on pause, H-E-B asks that all band together as Texans Helping Texans. Check on your neighbors, especially seniors, disabled and low-income families. If you know someone struggling with food, bills, childcare but you’re not in a situation to help, encourage them to call 211 to find someone who can. In times of need, Texans have shown they can unite to do remarkable things, the company says.
Arkansas allowing beer/wine delivery with food order
The Arkansas office of Alcohol Beverage Control and Gov. Asa Hutchinson have issued a 30-day emergency rule allowing grocery stores in wet counties with alcohol permits to deliver beer/wine to residents with a food order.
This applies only to grocery employees making the deliveries; no third-party alcohol delivery is allowed.
This order is in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Also, Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge wrote a letter to Arkansas Grocers and Retail Merchants Association President Charlie Spakes asking for his help in disseminating information to the state’s grocers and retailers regarding price gouging laws.
“I do not want Arkansas businesses to be unintentionally violate these laws, and, as importantly, I want to protect them from excessive price increases from their own vendors,” Rutledge stated.
The letters states: “The price gouging law prohibits any person or business from charging more than 10 percent above the pre-emergency price of goods or services.
“As it relates to the Covid-19 public health emergency, covered goods and services include, but are not limited to, cleaning and disinfecting products, personal protective equipment, medicine and medical supplies and goods used for personal care.
“While the law sets a general 10 percent cap on price increases during an emergency, businesses may lawfully charge a higher price if they can establish that the higher price is directly attributable to additional costs for labor or materials used to provide the goods or service. In such a limited situation, the business may charge no more than 10 percent above the total cost to the business, plus the mark-up that is customarily applied by the business for that good or service in the normal course of business.”
