We’re So Impressed with Aldi’s New Coronavirus Precautions

I’m doing as much as I can to stay home right now. For me, a big part of that means limiting my grocery shopping to one big shop every few weeks, rather than the every-other-day model I used to follow (I have to go to various stores for research and ingredients!). I hadn’t been to my local Aldi since I began sheltering in place, but I went this past Sunday and, I have to tell you, I was so impressed with what I saw.

There was a staffer by the door, taking peoples’ carts as they returned them and wiping them down before doling them out to entering shoppers. There were signs up letting us know that there was a two-pack limit on meats. There were giant sneeze guards around the cashiers and stickers on the floor, reminding us to stay six feet apart while on the checkout line. And the cashier used my own cart for checkout (instead of the old system where you’d inherit the one from the person in front of you). Again, I was impressed. But it turns out Aldi was working on implementing even more safety measures, which go into effect today, April 9.

One new precaution in particular stopped me in me tracks because I thought it was such a good idea: Aldi is now making all aisles one-way only. Meaning, everyone can go down this one and up that one — no one has to risk passing another shopper in oncoming traffic. I went to the Aldi website for a deeper look and found this statement outlining the newest safety updates. Here are the notes in a nutshell.

• New store occupancy limits: Effective Thursday, April 9, Aldi will limit the number of people allowed inside the stores to approximately five customers per 1,000 square feet. To enforce this rule, the staffer with the carts will be tracking shoppers and letting people in, one at a time. If a (socially distanced) line forms, any medical professionals with identification will get to skip to the front of the line.
• One person per family: Aldi is now asking that customers limit their shopping to one person per family. “We recognize that may not be possible in certain circumstances and will make exceptions for any customer who needs to shop with children, or assist a vulnerable shopper,” Aldi states.
• Temporary one-way aisles: Again, aisles will get a one-way flow to help manage traffic and allow customers to maintain social distance from each other and the team members. In-store signage will direct shoppers through the store.
• Staff health checks: Staffers in the store and warehouse will have their temperatures checked and will have to answer a few basic health screening questions before reporting to work. Any employee with a fever of 100.0 degrees or higher will be sent home. Employees will need to be free of all symptoms for at least 72 hours before returning to work.

Aldi isn’t the only store taking safety precautions, of course — so many grocery stores are doing a great job to keep people healthy and shelves stocked — I just hadn’t heard of one-way aisles yet and I think it’s such a great call.

What precautions are your local grocery stores taking? Tell us in the comments below.