Mass Market News

During the coronavirus outbreak in New Jersey , certain businesses, including grocery stores, along with pharmacies and gas stations, are considered essential and remain open. Many supermarkets have begun limiting the purchase of key items — such as hand sanitizer, toilet paper, over-the-counter medicines and cleaning supplies — on top of shifting their hours to accommodate the safety of employees and shoppers as well as those most vulnerable to COVID-19 . Gov. Phil Murphy has required all store employees and shoppers to wear face masks or coverings to help fight the coronavirus outbreak until further notice and has limited customers in stores to a max of 50% of the store’s capacity. The governor announced on April 8 he signed a new executive order to enforce the rule. Store employees are allowed to limit the time those without a mask are allowed to stay in the store and ask people anybody who isn’t wearing a mask or covering to stay away from other customers, a Murphy official said. Workers will also be required to wear gloves if they’re interacting with customers, Murphy said. Businesses are required to give workers masks, coverings and gloves at the businesses’ expense. Those under age 2 or those with medical reasons for not wearing a face covering are exempt. Amazon announced on April 13 it is temporarily requiring all new Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods customers to sign up for an invitation to use the company’s grocery delivery and pickup services. Here’s a list of the supermarkets and pharmacies with new policies : Acme will open every Tuesday and Thursday from 7 to 9 a.m. to the elderly, people with compromised immune systems and pregnant women. These groups also will be able to shop at Fresh Market for the first hour of operations, from 8 to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday. Acme said it will limit the number of customers allowed in its supermarkets at any one time. ALDI stores will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, though some stores may have limited hours to accommodate restocking and cleaning. Vulnerable shoppers will […]