Coronavirus: FairPrice to limit number of people in its stores and urge shoppers to wear masks

All FairPrice staff have been instructed to wear a mask, and shoppers will be urged to do so as well. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

SINGAPORE - FairPrice is limiting the number of shoppers within its stores and also urging mask use while shopping amid the escalating Covid-19 outbreak, the supermarket chain said in a statement on Thursday (April 9).

All FairPrice staff have also since been instructed to wear a mask during the course of their work at all supermarkets.

These moves are in line with the Health Ministry's latest approach of encouraging people to wear masks and to continue ensuring the safety of its shoppers and staff, FairPrice said.

Crowd control measures will also be introduced to limit the number of customers within each store when necessary, to ensure safe distancing measures are followed.

Staff will be on hand to direct customers entering and leaving the stores.

Existing measures will remain, including floor markings at checkout queues, in-store posters and announcements to encourage safe distancing.

All food sampling activities have also ceased.

Cleaning regimes have been stepped up, especially for high-touch surfaces such as railings, trolleys, baskets, checkout counters, to every four hours.

All staff and suppliers also have their temperature taken at least twice a day, and hand sanitisers have been made available for customers to use.

"To protect both our staff and customers, we strongly encourage our shoppers to wear masks while shopping at our stores.

"Wearing a mask complements safe distancing measures, provides some basic protection and also protects others should one be infected but unaware," FairPrice group chief executive Seah Kian Peng said.

On April 1, FairPrice, which has more than 200 outlets, closed its FairPrice Finest supermarket in Bedok Mall for three days for deep cleaning after one of its staff tested positive for Covid-19 on March 31.

Last month, FairPrice also said that shoppers of the Pioneer Generation, pregnant women and people with disabilities will have their own shopping hour at its supermarkets.

Dedicated shopping hours provide vulnerable groups with more time and space to do their shopping, while avoiding crowds that could make the 1m social distancing rule more difficult to adhere to.

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