Whole Foods Reserves 1st Hour of Pickup for At-Risk Customers

To support vulnerable communities during the coronavirus pandemic, Amazon and its Whole Foods Market chain have reserved the first hour of grocery pickup at Whole Foods stores across the country for customers 60 years and older, those with disabilities, and those whom the CDC defines as high risk.

Eligible customers can visit amazon.com/wholefoods, choose “Pickup” and start shopping. When they check out, they can choose the first pickup window of the day, which is marked reserved for at-risk customers.

Pickup is currently available at 150-plus Whole Foods locations. In addition, in common with many other food retailers, all of the Austin, Texas-based chain’s stores are open to serve at-risk customers one hour before opening to the public.

In the area of digital orders, Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart has launched a pickup hour from 7 to 8 a.m. for shoppers over 60, first responders, customers with disabilities and other high-risk groups, and West Sacramento, Calif.-based Raley’s has two Senior Essentials Bags containing items at a large discount, available for in-store or curbside pickup, while San Antonio-based H-E-B offers for seniors age 60 and older grocery delivery from every H-E-B, Central Market and Joe V’s store in Texas, via its Favor service, and West Des Moines, Iowa-based Hy-Vee is one of hundreds of grocers taking part in an effort led by DoorDash to get groceries to seniors with no delivery fees.

Seattle-based Amazon, under the Whole Foods banner, is No. 10 on Progressive Grocer’s 2019 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States. Walmart Inc. is No. 1, H-E-B is No. 6, and Hy-Vee is No. 12 on PG’s list.