How to keep your food and grocery deliveries safe
With COVID-19 precautions still in place, it’s only natural to ponder on whether it’s fine to get food and groceries delivered home and under these conditions. Here are a few explanations on what the delivery etiquette is during the ‘new normal’ and why PICK.A.ROO checks all the boxes.
1. Is it safe to have your food and groceries delivered?
First thing first: Is food and groceries delivery a valid option in a world where COVID-19 is still a reality? We have relied on takeaways served at your door and delivery services during the worst days of the lockdown but has it been a wise decision after all?
The answer is undoubtedly yes, as long as you approach it with caution, like all activities involving human contact. Most experts agree that the risk of transmission of the virus from food is low, as long as it has been prepared and handled properly.
2. How should your food and groceries be prepared and packaged?
The delivery provider should guarantee that they work with supermarkets and grocery stores which comply with a strict hygiene and safety protocols in terms of food handling, packaging and storage. They must also ensure that all employees of their partner merchants follow all the necessary precautions including mandating the use of face masks, gloves, and disinfectants.
At PICK.A.ROO, we have very strict hygiene guidelines that our partner merchants have to follow which is also part of our merchant on-boarding process. Once you place an order, you can rest assured that your chosen shop or store will prepare your order and handle it in a very hygienic and safe manner.
The delivery provider must also guarantee that the shopper will apply the same hygienic rules when handling the groceries to be delivered. As a requirement, all PICK.A.ROO shoppers must wear personal protective equipment and face masks, undergo temperature tests, and rapid testing for COVID-19.
3. What about the rider?
The key character with whom the customer will be in contact is the rider and it’s therefore paramount to check that the delivery provider has a solid policy regarding the protection of its riders and of the customers through the same stringent hygiene and safety protocols.
Riders who show symptoms should stay home and not to be allowed, riders should wear face covering at all time and be provided with all the necessary hand sanitizers and disposable wipes and other cleaning products.
It goes without saying that contact-free delivery is a must. Therefore, all physical contact between the customers and the rider should be avoided. Deliveries should be left at the doorstep and all verbal interaction with the customer, if necessary, should be from the recommended minimum distance of 6-feet. As a general rule, all interactions – including payment - should be performed electronically.
At PICK.A.ROO, all deliveries are guaranteed contact-free. When our riders deliver your order, they are required to tell you that have arrived, place your order outside you door, and wait in safe distance for you to collect the delivery before the order can be completed.
Upon placing your order, you can also give us instructions if our riders can deliver your items up to your doorstep or not.
4. How should you handle your takeaway food?
If you order takeaway food for delivery, the risk of packaging contamination, albeit quite low, can be minimized further by transferring the food into a clean dish. Wear gloves while handling the contents of the delivery and thoroughly wash your hands them before eating.
Avoid eating with your hands and only use the forks and knives provided in your delivery if it comes in a sealed container. If you really want to be on the safe side, you can also reheat your food before consuming it.
5. What to do with your delivered groceries?
If you have ordered groceries, prudence is also the order of the day. Wear gloves before handling the packages and make sure you dispose of them properly afterwards. Sanitize and wash your hands afterwards.
As for the groceries themselves, they should also be submitted to a hygienic procedure to minimize any risk of contamination.
Contained or packaged goods should be stored for 72 hours before using them. Plastic or glass containers should be sprayed and wiped with carefully diluted bleach or other sanitizing products.Unwrapped fresh goods, which could have been handled by anyone, should always be washed thoroughly under running water and left to dry.
Some of those little gestures have probably already become part of your everyday life and, when combined with the strict hygiene and safety protocols of a company like PICK.A.ROO, they can go a long way towards making you feel secure and confident with your deliveries..
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