Coronavirus store closings: Kroger subsidiaries changing hours

Some of Kroger’s subsidiaries – Harris Teeter, QFC, Fred Meyer – are ending 24-hour service in some cities to allow work crews to clean and restock stores amid the growing coronavirus outbreak.

“We are focused on having clean, open and stocked stores for our customers and some 24-hour store locations are making this decision based on local circumstances,” Kroger officials told The Enquirer, part of the USA TODAY Network, Saturday. “We will continue to make decisions that allow us to operate efficiently to serve our customers and support our associates.”

So far, all QFC stores, based in the Pacific Northwest (Seattle, Oregon), have moved away from open 24 hours. Most Fred Meyer stores in the same region have followed suit. Harris Teeter, based in North Carolina and serving the Southeast from Florida to Washington, D.C. has also opted to close nightly.

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Kroger did not say hours in the Cincinnati or other regions had changed. They said decisions on hours were being made by local management in the area.

Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen told employees and customers in a letter the grocer is determined to keep stores open, stocked and clean amid the coronavirus outbreak.

“We believe that everyone deserves to have access to fresh, affordable food and essentials, especially in times of uncertainty. That’s why our teams are working so hard,” McMullen said.

To better manage the coronavirus impact in individual markets, Kroger has empowered local managers to limit quantities of high-demand items to avoid potential hoarding or profiteering by third-parties. It has also given local management the discretion to change hours, Kroger said.