Co-ops introduce alternative shopping during pandemic

Co-ops across Western Canada are taking several steps to make shopping easier during the global pandemic. While in-store social distancing efforts are in place, many co-ops saw the need to offer more options to their customers.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has unfolded, our daily lives have rapidly changed. Restrictions on gatherings have been put in place, and many organizations have transitioned their workforce from the downtown office to the home office. In some cases, retail businesses have had to close the doors to their physical locations and find new ways to serve their customers.

Co-ops across Western Canada have taken several steps to make grocery shopping easier during the global pandemic. While in-store social distancing efforts are in place, many co-ops saw the need to offer more options to their customers. Co-ops have adjusted their operations to meet the evolving needs of their communities while keeping safety and well-being top of mind. Here are a few examples:

• Just days after the pandemic was declared and governments outlined social distancing measures, many Co-op Food Stores introduced special shopping hours for seniors and other vulnerable individuals. Sherwood Co-op and other co-ops have scheduled this at the beginning of each day when shelves are freshly stocked and stores have been cleaned and sanitized, allowing an environment with a lower exposure risk.
• North Corridor Co-op in Alberta and Winkler-Morden Co-op in Manitoba, along with several other co-ops, began offering delivery service to those most at risk including seniors and immuno-comprised community members. This helps to ensure these customers have access to groceries without exposing themselves to potentially unsafe environments.
• Online grocery order forms have been implemented by several co-ops, including Boundary Co-op in Manitoba. In lieu of an online shopping platform, the order forms give customers the ability to shop without entering the store, reducing their exposure risk and providing convenience to those self-isolating at home.

It’s heartening to see co-ops sharing these important initiatives with one another to ensure customers continue to have access to the supplies they need when it matters most. Community is at the core of the co-operative movement, working together for the betterment of all. This is true today now more than ever.

Co-ops are helping to keep people safe while finding new ways to support to the communities they serve. That is what being a co-op is all about, and together we will make it through.

Photo Credit: Winkler-Morden Co-op