Coles extends dedicated shopping hour to emergency services and healthcare workers
COLES has announced it will extend its ‘Community Hour’ shopping period to emergency services and healthcare workers, who are on the front line of the coronavirus battle across the country.
The supermarket giant announced on Tuesday doctors, nurses, paramedics, hospital and ambulance staff, police, firefighters and emergency service workers who hold an AHPRA card, have a workplace ID or are wearing their work uniform will have access to the first hour of trade on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The plan will start this Thursday, March 26, from 7am to 8am.
On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the ‘Community Hour’ will remain dedicated to vulnerable and elderly customers who hold a government-issued Pensioner Concession Card, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, Companion Card, Seniors Card, Disability Card and Health Care Card.
Coles Group CEO Steven Cain said the move will help even more Australians access the essential groceries they need.
“In the past week we have seen Community Hour help vulnerable and elderly Australians access essential grocery items during this challenging time. We are now extending this opportunity to those Australians who are protecting our community and keeping us safe,” Mr Cain said.
“We know these workers are incredibly busy and hope that providing them with a dedicated hour at the beginning of the day to shop will make their lives a little easier and support the vital work they are doing every day.”
“We are also incredibly proud of our team members in-store who are working hard to get stock on to shelves as fast as possible, create a safe place to shop, and provide our customers with great service. We ask that our customers continue to show them kindness and patience.”
Well done Coles!! Great to assist our people who are on the “front line” and also on the other days those of us in their Senior years, who are self isolating as much as possible.
I shop at Benowa Village. The staff are always helpful and polite. Huge “thank you” to all.
Does this include Prison Officers?
are they on the front line of the corona virus battle ??
Are firefighters? Yet they on the list. Teachers, truck drivers, prisoner officers etc work opening hours and by the time they can get to the shops in the afternoon, everything is sold out. The opening hours should be for all essential workers. They have the right to feed tbeir family too.
totally agree! Everything is gone by the time we get there at 6pm
The forgotten service
May I ask if support workers whom have approved department of health badges do they also make the list after giving support to people all day in these hard times ?
Sorry, will NOT be wearing the uniform from the hospital after Night Duty could be carrying the Virus.
but you could wear the badge – after sanitising it ??
What about child care centre we need to buy food for these children and we can’t.
What about all the child care centre. We have to stay open yet can’t go buy food to feed these children.
Thank you
All good n well if there is food on the sheves my local coles stil isnt stocked with flours sugars toilet paper most shelves are empty really frustration
Yes supposedly plenty of toilet paper in factories but why isn’t it in store haven’t had any in my local store for nearly 3 weeks now .Frustrating when you are working and can’t shop on a daily basis. Shelves all still very empty even now with restrictions
Hi Coles is this for staff at Child Safety?
Thank you so much it certainly has been such a frustration trying to get necessities after shiftwork
I am so proud of Coles but they now need to allow them access to click and collect. Some Drs are doing 16 hour shifts and one tried to organise a food delivery and was told “special circumstances’ didn’t apply to him.
Yet I was told after ringing the 1800 number that it would .
You are leading the way forward Coles keep it up.
Please read comments from Adopt A Health Worker. Nurses won’t wear their uniforms into a supermarket after working in the hospital all day… they don’t want to infect the public and definitely do not want to be in the supermarket when the susceptible are there. Many working shifts ( and these will only increase as their numbers are affected by being infected and the number of sick increase)
PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE protect our health workers on the front line by allowing them access to Click and Collect.
Who will be left to care for the community if we don’t look after our front line heroes!!!
I work morning shift Tuesday & Thursday. This needs to be Monday to Friday so it wil help more of us.
How about Home Care workers ? Our work entails assisting people to be able to stay in their own homes rather than going into a care facility, but we can’t buy loo paper because it’s all sold out before we can get to the shop.
Maybe shops need to devise a new method of toilet tissue issue.
only problem is most healthcare workers start at 6am and 7am so no use at all when i rang Coles head office they basically said bad luck cant open stores earlier.
My friend has her 85 yo mother in law who doesnt walk or drive but her relatives arnt on a oension but they want ti do her shopping for her
I trust this will include NewZealamders who have worked and paid Taxes. Never forget New Zealand was once Governed by NSW.
Thank you coles im a firefighter and its hard finding supplies after hours when the shelves are empty
I haven’t been in a grab situation. No one eats a lot of veggies but I do so I get what I want and get out quick.?
I am mostly vegetarian and so far ?no one has tried to grab the spinach off me
thanks Coles . Hopefully on our days pensioners I can purchase toilet rolls as I have been trying for over a week but non available. But keep up the good work your staff is doing
What about prison officers? Always the forgotten essential service
Although I support the sentiment surely mixing the most vulnerable in the community with the most exposed to the virus is not a good idea. Why not have a separate special time for each group.
They didnt, health care workers are Tues and Thur, pentioners can go every other day they have nothing else urgent to do. Unlike teachers, fireies, police, tradies, doctors transort workers, posties, truckies and every one else keeping the country going. The elderly most definitly need access but they have the most flexible schedual of everyone
If you read the article thoroughly, they’ve being allocated separate days.
I think the bigger issue here is that Coles is encouraging healthcare workers to arrive in their work uniforms; this will mean that some night shift workers will head straight to supermarkets after their shifts (in worn scrubs) and some others will expose their clean scrubs to the bacteria in supermarkets before heading to morning shifts in settings with later starts.
It would be smarter to encourage healthcare staff to show their work IDs, seeing as they’re mandatory.
Are Correctional service officers included
Are correctional officer included
Does this include transit officers who are shift workers, example been to the supermarket after shift nothing on shelves
What about child care giver early educators hay we have an important role too
What about disability workers who are working in the community to keep ppl safe and deliver essential services
I am a personal care worker in an aged care facility. Can I shop early on Tuesdays & Thursdays?
You say nurse’s but what about people like those who work in age care cleaners kitchen etc that start work at 6.30and dont finish untill 3pm and 4.30pm
What about the age care workers that work in the kitchens cleaners etc that start work at 6.30 and dont finish untill 3pm and 4.30pm
Does this include teachers in the community hour Tuesday and Thursday ?
I work in Aged Care attended my local Coles 7am this morning in uniform and was turned away