LAKELAND, FL; GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Grocery stores are starting to adjust retail strategies as the industry continues to weather the changes of the current climate. As states look to the future and what it means to reopen, retailers too are considering their options moving forward. Publix recently announced that it would be adjusting its store hours to 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., returning to a semblance of normalcy that existed before the pandemic.

“With our newly expanded hours, we will suspend reserved shopping hours. We do understand some customers prefer to shop when the stores are less crowded. We encourage you to shop during the first hour of the day, when we can better accommodate that need,” Publix said in a statement on its website.

Publix noted that although it is extending its hours, it is still committed to upholding social distancing and ensuring the safety of its associates and its customers.

Michigan-based Meijer also announced that it would be adjusting its store hours, noting that this allows more time for consumers to stock up on the essentials they need. Meijer is pivoting somewhat from Publix’s format in that it is extending reserved shopping times for the elderly and immunocompromised.

“These extended hours will best serve all our customers and provide more flexibility to shop Meijer stores,” said Rick Keyes, Meijer President and Chief Executive Officer, in a press release. “As communities begin to re-open, it’s more important than ever that we find new ways to adjust and reshape how our customers shop for products they need while keeping their families safe.”

Will more retailers soon follow? AndNowUKnow will continue to report the latest in grocery updates.

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