Special one-hour shopping events for senior citizens are being launched at retail giants Walmart and Target as businesses across the world continue to adjust to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Beginning March 24 and running through April 28, Walmart will open an hour early each Tuesday for customers ages 60 and up. Target stores, meanwhile, will be open for “vulnerable guests” only the first hour of business each Wednesday, until further notice.
In a statement, Target CEO Brian Cornell identified vulnerable guests as “the elderly and those with underlying health concerns.”
Walmart has shifted store hours to a schedule of 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. except for stores that previously opened after 7 a.m. All Walmart auto centers will close until further notice, with those workers reassigned to stocking and cleaning, and stores will enforce limits on the purchase of milk, bread, hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies, water, diapers, wipes, baby formula, baby food and paper products.
“We know communities are counting on us more than ever and we are determined to serve the broadest number of customers and ensure they have access to the key items they are looking for,” said Dacona Smith, Walmart’s U.S. chief operating officer, in a statement.
Target stores will now close at 9 p.m.
“This will help us as we replenish and deeply clean our stores for our guests,” Cornell said. “And it builds on measures we shared earlier this month, including enhanced cleaning and more staffing for in-demand services that support social distancing, like order pickup and drive up.”