Media Centre
A MESSAGE FROM LCBO PRESIDENT & CEO GEORGE SOLEAS: SHOPPING AT THE LCBO
Friday, April 3, 2020 – Toronto
The short window in which COVID-19 has evolved catches me off guard at moments. Every day, we adapt to new information, continually rolling out measures to protect our dedicated staff and you, our valued customers. At the same time, it seems impossible that we have already grown accustomed to such drastically different ways of interacting and working within our communities. Everything about our operations has changed – most visibly within our stores.
We have been working to support our people and ensure a safe shopping experience through altered hours and Monday closures, increased cleaning and sanitization, measures that support physical distancing while in line and in-store and, most recently, beginning to roll out plexiglass barriers and introducing the option for our employees to wear protective face shields. We have implemented additional paid compassionate leave for our staff to help them navigate personal considerations in this unprecedented situation.
We have also asked for your help.
Please, follow official direction and stay home if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or if you should be in self-isolation – including because you have travelled. We also need you to help us by following all physical distancing guidelines with other shoppers and LCBO staff, shop alone and pick up product for neighbours or family as much as possible, and limit interactions by paying debit or credit and packing your own reusable bags.
Like many frontline retail teams right now, your local LCBO staff, and our security partners, are doing everything they can to serve you safely, and stay safe themselves. Over the past week I have been overwhelmed by the kindness that has been demonstrated. To all of you who have sent individually packed meals, flowers, chalk messages, signs, tweets, emails and calls – or have simply said thank you – your gestures have lifted our spirits. That our retail staff know they are appreciated by their communities in these difficult times means so much.
Like other retailers, we have also unfortunately heard some examples of people ignoring physical distancing requests while shopping, making inappropriate comments or “jokes,” or who shop in groups at peak times of the day. We all deserve better. It is a stressful time for everyone and your efforts to be respectful of the protocols we have put in place helps tremendously.
While we are making visiting us in-store as safe as possible, we have also heard your questions on alternate methods of shopping.
Shopping on LCBO.com is an option and we encourage you to place your order in advance as we continue to experience higher-than-normal order volumes. Your patience is appreciated, and we are working every day to catch up to our normal turnaround time. A reminder that you can also select pick-up in store as a delivery option.
While Canada Post is no longer delivering packages that require a signature directly to homes, some customers find retrieving their order from their local postal pick-up location convenient. A helpful tip: If you need someone else to pick up orders for you, in our stores or through Canada Post, remember that when you are checking out online you have the option to provide the name of an of legal-age designate who can receive the order on your behalf.
We continue to work closely with foodora, our on-demand delivery partner, in Ottawa, south Etobicoke, and downtown and midtown Toronto, where we have expanded delivery boundaries.
Our Same Day Pick Up service is available at select stores in Ottawa and the GTA which allows you to order online and pick up in-store the same day.
I look forward to when the messages we share with you are once again dedicated to great products enjoyed in each other’s company. Until then, my continued gratitude and well-wishes to you.
For more information:
LCBO Press Office
416-864-6700
pressoffice@lcbo.com
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