Says Coles: ‘From Wednesday 18 March, Coles supermarkets will launch a dedicated “Community Hour” in all supermarkets to improve access to essential groceries for the elderly and disadvantaged, during this time of unprecedented demand.’
They go on to say Coles will temporarily change their trading hours to open 7am to 8pm on weekdays, with the first hour of trade open exclusively to customers who hold a government-issued Pensioner Concession Card, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, Companion Card and Health Care Card.
Once this hour is complete, all other customers will be invited through the doors to complete their grocery shop.
Where trading hour restrictions apply - such as WA and parts of Queensland - Community Hour will be held from 8am to 9am, with normal trading to continue after.
Says Coles CEO Steven Cain: ‘We believe all Australians deserve the right to access their share of grocery items, particularly the elderly and the vulnerable, so we are introducing “Community Hour” as a temporary measure for those who need some extra help during this challenging time.
‘We urge customers to shop as they normally would to ensure that everyone in the community has access to their share of grocery items. We will continue to look at a range of options to support our customers including working with our charity partners like Foodbank to deliver staple items to Australians in need, and further restrictions on products in limited supply to prevent over-purchasing.’
