How Retailers Are Grappling With Challenges of COVID-19: Survey

CHANDLER, Ariz. — Keeping convenience stores running during a pandemic requires making a series of tough decisions—often without having complete information or resources available.

The Loss Prevention and Safety Networking Group (LPN), Chandler, Ariz., a share group for c-store professionals in loss prevention, safety, security and risk management, recently surveyed its members about how they are coping with the COVID-19 outbreak. LPN conducted the survey the week of April 13, sending it to about 50 of its member companies, which represent about 5,000-6,000 U.S. stores and fuel sites. The survey had a 35% participation rate. The results, which LPN shared exclusively with CSP Daily News, show the challenges that c-store operators are having in responding to the pandemic, and how aggressively some retailers are confronting the virus inside their stores.

What’s most noteworthy:

• More than 8 in 10 respondents have had an employee test positive for COVID-19.
• When an employee tests positive, many retailers have a vigorous protocol for cleaning the store and quarantining employees—and some even do a form of contact tracing.
• Operators are grappling with myriad local and state and requirements and recommendations, some of which are more aggressive than federal guidelines.
• Sourcing personal protection equipment—masks and gloves—to protect store employees is an ongoing slog for many operators.

Here are eight highlights from the survey, as well as comments from participants, that illustrate how c-store retailers are responding to COVID-19 ...

About one-fifth of operators are doing temperature testing for employees at headquarters or other non-store locations, according to the survey.

“We are … asking employees in certain circumstances to take their own [temperature] before entering the building and to not report to work with a [temperature] over 100,” one retailer said.

“At this time, the CDC recommendations on taking temperatures does not apply to our workforce," another said. "We are trying to source thermometers and set procedures for taking temperatures so that we are prepared if and when the CDC recommends it more widely.”

“We are [temperature] screening (100.4 F) at offices and warehouses," a retailer commented. "None at the store level. Using CDC guidelines.”

Most retailers have been asked to limit or shut down their self-serve offer by local or state authorities.

“We have had it shut down in some jurisdictions," one retailer said. "We are experiencing pressure from other local health departments every day, even though most have no official order or authority to restrict it. We are planning so as to be prepared if that authority/order does materialize.”

Another operator said it has removed all single-serve and self-serve food. "We are encouraging all self-serve beverage to be done with single-serve cups/mugs,” the retailer said.

“Our coffee/fountain beverage area is shut down," said another operator. "We do full-serve where staff is available. We still serve wrapped product from our hot food case, but do not sell any roller grill products.”

[CSP is conducting a retailer survey to measure how the industry is responding to foodservice restrictions during the pandemic. To participate, click here.]

More than half of retailers have been required to limit the occupancy of their stores, and some at very aggressive levels.

“Just about all of the states we operate in have imposed occupancy limits inside the store. Some have been at 80%, 50% and some as low as 20% [occupancy]," one operator said. "The only real challenging stores have been the ones at 20% because they are counting the number of employees as well.”

Many have introduced new procedures to ensure compliance.

“In some stores, we have put up signs on the doors saying no more than 10 customers inside at a time," one retailer said. "We are also analyzing our different floor plans to determine what is the maximum numbers of people on the sales floor at a time while being able to maintain 6-foot social distancing.”

“We have a team member assigned to keep a count," said another operator. "As soon as we have 10 customers inside, this team member locks the door, and we go to a one customer out and one customer in routine as long as necessary.”

All retailers surveyed have added signage and markers inside their stores to help customers stay 6 feet apart.

“In areas where customers are likely to congregate, we post signs," one retailer said. "We have floor signs advising to social distance.”

One operator has put markers on the floor and in front of checkout, and placed signage in areas "where people tend to 'bunch,' " such as the fountain, coffee bar and in front of cooler doors.

“We have put colored tape down at counter areas," said another retailer. "In some states, we have been required to put it outside as well (those are stores with 20% occupancy limits).”

Nearly 3 in 10 retailers have given masks to store employees to wear. More recently, chains that have mandated masks include Wawa and Sheetz. Given the nationwide shortage of equipment, however, many operators have had to hunt for supplies.

“We are offering the limited quantity we have received as a donation. We expect to get more," said one retailer. "We are relying on CDC guidance that recommends homemade masks.”

“We are trying to source masks and hope to have some very soon," said another. "We will strongly encourage our employees to wear them.”

One operator is encouraging employees to wear cloth face coverings, and it is trying to source its own. Another retailer is giving each employee two washable masks. "Employees are not required to wear them," the retailer said. "They are responsible for washing them.”

And one retailer is taking the make-your-own route until it can source masks. "We have dropped off employee shirts to stores and given employees instructions on how to make a mask with a shirt and rubber bands," the operator said.

Most operators have installed plexiglass sneeze guards or similar clear barriers at the checkout to separate employees and customers. Many localities and states have mandated the protective move.

“We have put [shields] at the register area," one retailer said. "It sits on the counter and protects the employee at the register area. It has an opening at the bottom to scan items and exchange money.”

For those operators who have not installed sneeze guards, they cite their lack of effectiveness or installation issues.

“The PPE we’ve provided to our associates (masks, safety glasses, gloves) are scientifically more effective," said one retailer. "We will not do ‘sneeze guards’ as of right now.”

“[Plexiglass shields] doesn’t really work with our register setup," said another operator. "We have instructed our co-workers not to touch the product. If they can’t easily scan it with the handheld scanner, they are to ask the customer to locate the barcode.”

In one of the more alarming results of the survey, the overwhelmingly majority of operators have had an employee with a confirmed positive test for COVID-19. Many have implemented aggressive cleaning and quarantine procedures where the affected employee worked.

“[We] shut the store down long enough for professional disinfecting," one retailer said. "Each [team member] must talk with our coronavirus HR hotline to determine the amount of exposure to the positive [team member], symptoms, etc., to determine if they can return to work as soon as the store reopens or if we need to ask them self-quarantine. We have a full communication plan to notify vendors, health department, company, etc., of the store closing and reopening.”

“[We] place that person on mandatory 14-day quarantine," said another operator. "Notify local health department and follow any additional requirements. Notify other employees who worked in or visited that store within the past 14 days. Anyone potentially affected asked to self-quarantine for 14 days. Temporarily close the store to have a professional third-party specialist thoroughly disinfect the store.”

Some retailers have introduced technology and procedures for employees to use. One operator is requiring all employees to answer COVID-19 related questions—do they have a fever, feel sick or have they been around anyone that has tested positive—on a phone app before coming to work. Another has created an incident report specific to employees who have flu/virus symptoms, or if an employee or vendor tests positive for COVID-19. 

At least one operator does a form of contact tracing.

“Anyone that has come in contact, either directly or indirectly, has to be quarantined for 14 days. Depending on the situation, we have shut down and sanitized the store. As we get notified from delivery vendors of [COVID-19-positive] drivers, we research video to see who has come into contact with a driver and put them on a 14-day quarantine.”

Less than half of operators hire a professional service to sanitize stores where an infected employee had worked; however, based on operator comments, there seems to be confusion over current government guidelines for these situations. At least one retailer said this step was not recommended by the CDC, while another said the agency does recommend a full disinfection of the store. (The CDC recommends "enhanced cleaning and disinfection after persons suspected/confirmed to have COVID-19 have been in the facility.") 

“We have contracted a cleaning service who will respond within three to six hours to clean and sanitize," said one operator, who reopened the store within 24 hours. 

“We have hired a professional cleaning crew that can spray food-safe chemical in the entire store that will kill COVID-19 or any other virus and other microorganisms,” said another.

For more on how the c-store industry is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, click here for CSP's complete coverage.