The first hour of trade every Tuesday and Thursday will be dedicated to workers such as doctors, nurses, paramedics, hospital workers and firefighters.
The new initiative will begin this Thursday.
Workers will need to be wearing their uniforms, carrying their work ID, or their Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency card to access stores when they open at 7:00 am.
Coles has announced it’s also in the early stages of rolling out a new priority online shopping service for Australia’s most vulnerable customers, after suspending ordinary online orders last week.
Priority access for health and emergency workers won’t affect existing arrangements for vulnerable and elderly customers, who will continue to have their own special shopping hour on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Coles Group CEO Steven Cain said it’s important to help healthcare and emergency services workers, who are under enormous strain amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“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,” Cain added.
Cain also urged customers to continue to treat staff members with “kindness and patience” following reports of supermarket employees being attacked during the recent panic buying crisis.
