NEW WORLD UPDATE | "Update 25 March - New World responds to the country’s move to Alert Level 4 of the National Pandemic Plan.
As we’re sure you’re aware, New Zealand will soon enter the Alert Level 4 ‘Eliminate’ phase of the National Pandemic Plan. The team at New World would like to provide you with an update on some of the changes that we’re introducing to help keep our customers and staff safe and healthy.
The good news is that our New World stores will remain open as the Government has identified supermarkets as one of the essential services to stay accessible during Alert Level 4.
Here are some changes that you’ll see in your New World store:
Reduced store hours – our locally owned individual stores will determine their own operating hours and may choose to reduce them to cope with the heightened measures now in place. Individual stores will make this call based on the needs of their community and to ensure customers and staff maintain the recommended physical distance of 2m apart. Customers may also see some reduced services across some stores, and we recommend shoppers should visit the brand website or their local store’s Facebook page to stay across their supermarkets trading hours.
Managed customer numbers in-store – stores will be limiting the number of customers in store at any one time and will be operating a system at entry to manage the volume of people in store. This is incredibly important to ensure customers can move freely around the store to get their grocery essentials and maintain a safe distance away from other customers and staff.
We ask customers to please be patient and listen to store staff and security to comply with this new store entry system and ask shoppers to please maintain the required 2m physical distancing.
Reduced numbers of staff on shop floor – stores may also reduce the number of employees working on the shop floor at any one time. This is to maintain the recommend physical distance between staff and customers and to ensure a steady flow of traffic in and out of store. Please respect the appropriate physical distancing recommendation per the Ministry of Health’s guidelines.
Staff protection measures – customers will begin to see various staff protection measures in place at their local store including staff wearing masks, perspex protective screens at checkout, floor decals communicating the appropriate 2m physical distancing length, physical distancing at self-checkout and checkout, and implementation of pack your own bags. We ask all customers to please comply with store signage and staff direction to maintain physical distancing and safety. This is for both customers and staff health and safety.
Contactless payments – we encourage customers to use contactless payments such as payWave as another was of reducing contact between customers and staff. Help us keep you safe.
Nominate a family or household member to shop – to comply with physical distancing recommendations, and to ensure there is a steady flow of traffic in and out of stores we are asking New Zealanders who shop in person to please shop alone. This is to ensure the number of people in-store at any one time is kept to a minimum – by leaving your loved ones at home you are helping keep them safe.
Shop online (where available) – we have introduced contactless online shopping delivery for customers who are self-isolating, vulnerable or unwell – we ask customers simply to let the team know in the comments section when the order is placed. We also ask customers who are feeling unwell to please not come to the store to collect their order and to instead arrange a friend or family member to pick up your groceries for you.
#shopnormal – we continue to ask customers not stockpile; this is so everyone has a fair shot at buying their grocery essentials. When someone buys five packs of toilet paper, and they only need one, they are taking away from four other people who may have needed it. Some customers might not have the resources to buy up or the ability to visit the store every day. Please buy what you need and be fair to others.
Be kind – we are asking New Zealand to please support us as we work hard to continue meeting our goal of ensuring everyone has access to grocery essentials. We ask that all customers please remain patient and considerate to each other and staff during this time.
New World has seen New Zealand through trying times before and we’ll continue to be there for New Zealanders during this trying time. Please be patient, considerate and kind and we’ll get through this together.
Kia kaha.
Store opening hours
Some New World stores are adjusting their opening and closing times to allow our team the time to stock the store safely and enables us to provide any additional support they require. See the latest store hours here."
