Publix Supermarkets To Close Earlier During Coronavirus Outbreak

Source: (Photo by Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images) / (Photo by Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Another day, another business adjusting for the impact of the Coronavirus. The latest to respond to the outbreak is the popular supermarket chain Publix, whose employees are most definitely working overtime this week.

Publix is currently seeing an upswing in business due to customers stockpiling Lysol, paper towels, hand soap, toilet paper, food, and everything under the sun as if the world is ending. The surge in business is obviously very profitable, but it is also making it difficult for employees to stock shelves and replenish items during their regularly scheduled hours. Publix will now adjust for this and close all their stores at 8pm–instead of the usual 11pm closing time–until further notice, the chain announced via Twitter.

Not only will the downtime be used for restocking, but also disinfecting the entire store and allowing for extra time to clean every inch of all shelves, registers, and more. Employees are going to use the extra downtime to make sure their cleanliness standard is being upheld with all the extra bodies coming in and out of the store aren’t bringing in any of the virus.

Publix is the first store to adjust their operating hours to help employees and also account for the fact the Coronavirus could be walking in and out of their store. We all know more should be doing this, but the rest are busy trying to get every dollar on the table more than anything else.