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Smith's begins limiting customers to 50 percent of retail store capacity

Posted at 10:50 AM, Apr 07, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-07 12:50:52-04

SALT LAKE CITY — Smith's announced some new COVID-19 safety precautions Tuesday, including limits to the number of customers it will allow in its retail stores, effective immediately.

Beginning Tuesday, Smith's will allow up to 50 percent of a building's capacity, as calculated by international building code standards.

"As an illustration, the standard building capacity for a grocery store is 1 person per 60 square feet. Under Smith’s new reduced capacity limits, the number will be 1 person per 120 square feet," a news release from Smith's said.

The company is also adding educational floor decals, safety messaging via its in-store radio systems and plexiglass partitions for its associates.

Kroger, Smith's parent company, has ordered masks for its associates. Those masks are anticipated to arrive by the end of the week.

Several weeks ago, Kroger started testing its distribution center employees' temperatures, and they're beginning to expand temperature tests to retail store employees.

Kroger's other safety measures include a temporary waiver of prescription delivery fees and the testing of one-way aisles in some markets.