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Kroger Beefs Up Sanitation Practices Amid Coronavirus Panic

Nearly two-thirds of households in the survey said they don’t currently participate in the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Of those who reported this, 50 percent said they did not apply because they did not believe they were not eligible for benefits.
Nearly two-thirds of households in the survey said they don’t currently participate in the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Of those who reported this, 50 percent said they did not apply because they did not believe they were not eligible for benefits.

Grocery stores are taking extra steps to keep customers and employees healthy due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Employees at grocery chain Kroger have been encouraged to continue practicing sanitary habits. Kroger spokesman Eric Halvorson says more hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes should be available around the store for customers to use.

”We do have some directions that have gone out to the stores to make sure they’re doing proper hygiene and cleaning, and making sure the store environment is as pristine as it can be," he says.

Halvorson says guidelines entail things like deli and bakery workers changing their plastic gloves more frequently, cashiers wiping down self-checkout kiosks and credit card readers and employees sanitizing carts before bringing them in from the parking lots.

Kroger is currently limiting purchases of sanitizing, cold and flu products to five per customer.

In the event of a more serious coronavirus outbreak, Halvorson says he doesn’t foresee any stores closing their doors to customers. He says the company is still evaluating its paid leave policy.

For the latest news and resources about COVID-19, bookmark our Coronavirus In Indiana page  here. 

Emma Atkinson is a reporter for WTIU and WFIU News and the anchor of regional newscasts for All Things Considered. She's originally from Champaign, Ill. and graduated from IU with a Bachelor's degree in journalism in 2019. Emma has previously worked as a reporter in Kampala, Uganda and Ketchikan, Alaska.