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The `Comfort Zone` social distancing line at Tops in Lewiston.
The "Comfort Zone" social distancing line at Tops in Lewiston.

Tops grocery stores enhance safety measures

Press Releases

Thu, Mar 26th 2020 01:50 pm

Beginning as early as today, Tops will be rolling our additional safety measures at all of its 162 stores in New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont, a press release stated. Those safety measures include installing Plexiglas shields on as many of their frontend registers as possible. Where Plexiglas cannot be affixed because of equipment limitations, associates will be provided with protective face shields, which will also be used by Tops associates working in the pharmacy department and at the customer service desk.

This installation process will take place over the course of the next few weeks.

These safety measures are in addition to Tops existing PPE (personal protection equipment) procedures, which include providing gloves for their associates, hand sanitizer and wipes for their associates and customers respectively, and the newly instituted “Comfort Zone” areas at the registers providing more social distancing between customers as well as the customer and Tops associate.

Additionally, there is an associate assigned at each store specifically in charge of sanitization of the frontend registers, check stands, conveyor belts, customer service desks, point-of-sale devices and other frequently touched surfaces most accessed by customers on a continual basis during operating hours.

A press release issued Wednesday stated, “The health and well-being of our customers and associates is our first priority. In January, our internal ‘Tops Crisis Management Team’ started the process of preparing for the COVID-19 event that had just started. Since then, the team has taken daily action to ensure increased supply of products coming into our warehouses and stores for our customers to purchase.

“Additionally, they have increased the availability of disinfectants, sanitizers and cleaning supplies for all our associates to use in their work environment to help combat the spread of germs. Store cleaning protocols were adjusted, proper sanitation procedures were reiterated, and cleaning cycles were also increased.

“The Tops Crisis Management Team and executive management have been monitoring and meeting daily and have been responding accordingly to ensure business continuity and to limit disruption to our customers.

What are We Limiting

At this time, Tops is limiting the following items to two per customer (unless otherwise indicated) to allow as much available inventory to assist as many of our customers as possible:

•Adult care

•Baby formula

•Baby wipes

•Bath tissue, 18 roll pack or larger

•Big pack chicken

•Bleach – one container

•Cereal – four boxes

•Cleansing flushable wipes

•Commercial breads and rolls

•Cough & cold

•Diapers

•Disinfectant sprays

•Disinfectant wipes

•Eggs – one carton

•Facial tissue

•Flour – one package per customer; all brands, all sizes

•Four total gallons of water per customer – this includes spring, distilled, purified or three-pack gallon water

•Fresh ground beef, pork, chicken or sausage

•Frozen vegetables – four bags

•Hand sanitizer

•Laundry detergent

•Liquid dish detergent

•Milk - MILK WAS TAKEN OFF THIS LIST ON FRIDAY

•Multipack water; this includes all brands of water

•Oatmeal

•Pain remedies

•Pasta sauce – four jars

•Peanut butter

•Rubbing alcohol

•Sanitary protection

•Sugar – one package per customer; all brands, all sizes

•Tops stick butter quarters, 16 oz.

“Additionally, our bulk bin section will be closed temporarily. Many of these products are available in prepackaged form.

“We appreciate your patience as our supply chain and distribution teams have also been working around the clock to ensure that the food, cleaning supplies, household essentials, and pharmaceuticals that you need are reaching our stores as quickly as possible and are available to purchase in-store, with grocery pick-up, or by delivery.

“Since this is an ever-changing situation, we will continue to monitor it closely and will make adjustments accordingly.”

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