Walmart Will Limit Number of Customers in Stores Starting Saturday

A Walmart stock photo. (Illustration - Shutterstock)

Walmart announced it will limit the number of people inside its stores at the same time during the COVID-19 pandemic.

All Walmart stores across the United States, starting on Saturday, will start to monitor the number of people who are allowed inside the store.

“Starting Saturday, we will limit the number of customers who can be in a store at once. Stores will now allow no more than five customers for each 1,000 square feet at a given time, roughly 20 percent of a store’s capacity,” according to a release.

Store employees will start a line at a single-entry door and will tell customers to go there to queue. They will then be allowed in the store one-by-one, according to the company.

“Associates and signage will remind customers of the importance of social distancing while they’re waiting to enter a store–especially before it opens in the morning,” the store wrote.

Customers will be admitted inside one at a time when a store reaches capacity.

“We’ll also institute one-way movement through our aisles next week in a number of our stores, using floor markers and direction from associates. We expect this to help more customers avoid coming into close contact with others as they shop,” the Arkansas-based retailer said.

“And once customers check out, they will be directed to exit through a different door than they entered, which should help lessen the instances of people closely passing each other,” it said.

Some Walmarts this week have already started implementing the measures this week.

Target has announced similar measures to curb the COVID-19 spread. (Illustration - Shutterstock)

“We want to encourage customers to bring the fewest number of people per family necessary to shop, allow for space with other customers while shopping, and practice social distancing while waiting in lines. We’re also seeing states and municipalities set varying policies regarding crowd control—which has created some confusion regarding shopping,” the chain explained.

Target on Thursday announced a similar measure to promote social distancing as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus continues to spread.

The Minneapolis-based firm wrote in a news release that starting April 4, it “will actively monitor and, when needed, meter guest traffic in its nearly 1,900 stores nationwide to promote social distancing.”

If a store has to limit shoppers, a “designated waiting area outside with social distancing markers” will be used, the chain said.

“The measures we’re announcing today are aimed at ensuring we are creating a safe environment for the guests who continue to turn to Target, while also providing our team with additional resources as they fulfill an essential service in communities across the country,” John Mulligan, Target’s chief operating officer, said in a statement.