The Giant Company uses social media to discourage hoarding

With coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and consumer concern mounting nationwide, The Giant Company (formerly Giant Food Stores) is asking shoppers not to hoard groceries in a new social media campaign dubbed #MoreForAll.

Launched yesterday, the campaign includes a video featuring Giant President Nicholas Bertram that appears on the Carlisle, Pa.-based grocer’s Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages.

“We care about getting nutritious food on everyone’s table everyday, especially during the COVID-19 crisis,” Bertram said in the video as he stocked a shelf in a Giant supermarket. “You can actually help by taking only what you need and leaving the rest for others.”

In the video, Giant's Nicholas Bertram says consumers can help stores stay stocked by not purchasing too much. (Photo courtesy of The Giant Company)

Also appearing in the video, titled “How Every Neighbor Can Help,” are Gale Ferranto, president of Buona Foods, and Joe Arthur, executive director of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. Both said their organizations are working hard during the coronavirus crisis to support the communities they serve by making food readily available. But they noted that the public also must pitch in.

“This is about more than groceries. It’s about taking care of one another and being careful not to overbuy,” Bertram said.

Related:Giant Food Stores becomes The Giant Company

The video ends with Ferranto saying, “Take some for you,” and then followed by all three saying, “and leave more for all.”

Part of Ahold Delhaize USA, Giant operates nearly 190 grocery stores, 132 pharmacies, 105 fuel stations and over 125 online grocery pickup/delivery hubs in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia under the Giant, Martin’s, Giant Heirloom Market and Giant/Martin’s Direct banners.

In recent weeks, Giant has been steadily announcing measures to help mitigate the spread of coronavirus. The retailer on March 14 instituted midnight closings at all 19 of its 24-hour stores in Pennsyvania and Maryland, though pharmacies in those locations maintained 24-hour operation.

Then on March 17, the chain unveiled a broader action plan that changed store hours to 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. (effective March 19) so employees could have more time to clean and stock up stores. A reserved shopping time for customers age 60 and older, from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. daily, also went into effect. Giant, too, placed a two-item limit on high-demand product categories throughout the store, including paper goods and disinfecting products.

In addition, to promote social distancing, Giant implemented contactless delivery for all online grocery orders through Giant/Martin’s Direct. The company also noted that it’s working to expand e-commerce capacity, as available slots were limited.

Related:Giant Food Stores has bigger plans for Pennsylvania

Rising in-store and online demand, in turn, led Giant to expand hiring of temporary and part-time employees companywide, with positions as service associates, cashiers, stock clerks, drivers and fulfillment center selectors available immediately. The company also is welcoming workers in other business sectors whose employment has been disrupted by the pandemic.

And starting on March 25, Giant modified operations at all Giant and Martin’s in-store pharmacies, including a 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. time slot daily reserved for customers ages 60 and older. Seniors also can now can park in Giant/Martin’s Direct parking spaces at their local store to pick up prescriptions, which are brought out to their vehicle. For seniors who don’t want to enter the store, Giant is offering UPS mailing of prescriptions with free shipping, until further notice. The scripts must be paid for in advance, by calling a Giant or Martin’s pharmacy, and they will arrive in two business days, the company said.