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A year of COVID-19: As pandemic overwhelmed the nation, the grocery industry faced up to the challenge

One year after the coronavirus was deemed a national emergency and lockdowns began, SN takes a chronological look at how grocery retail was impacted and responded

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Beginning in January 2020, word began to slowly spread in the United States of a mysterious and deadly virus in Wuhan, China, that was threatening to extend to other parts of the world. It didn’t take long — within a month, the coronavirus had reached Europe and the United States and its tragic toll was beginning to be felt. On Feb. 6, the first American died from COVID-19 in Santa Clara County, Calif.

It was the beginning of a devastating pandemic that would eventually take more than 500,000 American lives and sicken nearly 30 million people in the country. The impact on all Americans was swift and staggering — as the pandemic was deemed a national emergency by the White House on March 13, schools and businesses were closed, lockdowns and social distancing guidelines were implemented throughout the country and health care workers faced a crisis of staggering proportions.

Amid all this chaos and tragedy, the grocery business found itself in a challenging position. While most businesses and restaurants were closing in the spring, supermarkets — as essential businesses — stayed open to keep the country fed and supplied, and quickly turned their focus to safety, adding measures to protect workers and customers, while struggling with supply chain issues, panic buying by the public and a labor shortage caused by the increased demand for workers to clean stores, stock shelves, care for customers and, increasingly, to fulfill online orders, which became a huge part of their business virtually overnight.

As we look back on one year of COVID-19 in the United States, Supermarket News offers a timeline of key events throughout the pandemic — and more specifically, critical moments showing the impact and response of the food retail industry — to offer a sense of how the crisis developed and how Supermarket News covered the major issues relating to the pandemic.

About the Authors

Russell Redman

Executive Editor, Winsight Grocery Business

Russell Redman is executive editor at Winsight Grocery Business. A veteran business editor and reporter, he has been covering the retail industry for more than 20 years, primarily in the food, drug and mass channel. His 30-plus years in journalism, for both print and digital, also includes significant technology and financial coverage.

twitter.com/GroceryBizGuy

Michael Browne

Executive Editor, Supermarket News

Michael Browne joined Supermarket News in 2018 after serving in managing and executive editor capacities at leading B2B media brands including Convenience Store NewsLicense Global and Travel Agent. He also previously served as content production manager for print and digital in the Business Intelligence division of Informa, parent company of Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News.

As executive editor, Mike oversees the editorial content of supermarketnews.com as well as the monthly print publication. He also directs all content-based brand-related projects including the annual Top 75 Retailers report, Category Guide, Retailer of the Year, research surveys and special reports, as well as podcast and webinar content. Mike has also presented and moderated at industry events.

In addition to the positions mentioned above, Mike has also worked as a writer and/or editor for special projects at American Legal Media (ALM), managing editor for Tobacco International, special projects editor at American Banker • Bond Buyer, and as production editor for Bank Technology News and other related financial magazines and journals published by Faulkner & Gray.

A graduate of Fordham University, Mike is based in New York City, where he was born and raised.

Contact Mike at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

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