Kroger offering special hours to vulnerable groups amid coronavirus pandemic

Starting Monday, Kroger, the nation's largest grocer, will start offering special hours to specific groups most vulnerable to the coronavirus pandemic.

The first hour of shopping from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays will be dedicated to seniors, expectant mothers, first responders and those with compromised immune systems until further notice, the company announced Friday in a release. In addition, all Michigan stores will begin closing at 9 p.m. starting Saturday for restocking and cleaning.

“Kroger wants to provide these groups with the ability to purchase the items they need when fewer shoppers are present,” said Rachel Hurst, corporate affairs manager at Kroger, in a news release. “We request that customers respect these hours for the health of our community during this time of uncertainty. We thank our customers for their kind consideration, which impacted our decision to provide special hours for seniors and those who are more vulnerable to COVID-19 coronavirus.”

All other customers are encouraged to shop between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on all other days of the week.

“The early closure will provide our associates the ability to safely and efficiently clean equipment and shelving and replenish product,” Hurst said. “We want to thank all of our customers for their cooperation as we make changes to ensure as many people as possible get the food and supplies they need.”

Kroger pharmacy hours will remain the same and vary by store.

On Thursday, the company announced

a plan to hire 10,000 new employees across the country in response to the pandemic.

On Tuesday, The Kroger Company's "Zero Hunger, Zero Waste" foundation

a $3-million dollar commitment to rapidly deploy hunger-relief resources to communities disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus.