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Hy-Vee introduces automated shopping cart-sanitizing system

Sterile Cart cleans several carts at a time and sanitizes the entire cart

Russell Redman

October 28, 2020

2 Min Read
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Hy-Vee said it’s the nation’s first supermarket chain to deploy Sterile Cart chainwide.Hy-Vee

Hy-Vee has begun deploying an automated cleaning system, called Sterile Cart, that it said fully cleans and sanitizes shopping carts after every use.

Plans call for more than 200 Hy-Vee stores in eight Midwestern states to have a Sterile Cart system in operation by mid-November. In announcing the rollout on Wednesday, Hy-Vee said it’s the nation’s first supermarket chain to implement the cart sanitization system chainwide.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, it has been our desire to put Hy-Vee customers’ minds at ease with thorough sanitization measures,” Hy-Vee Chairman, CEO and President Randy Edeker said in a statement. “We are always looking at innovative ways to improve store operations, improve the shopping experience for customers and, most importantly, ensure the health and safety of our customers and our employees.”

Sterile Cart cleans several carts at a time and sanitizes the entire cart — not just the handles and high-touch areas — quickly and consistently, according to Hy-Vee. The West Des Moines, Iowa-based retailer noted that the system eliminates the need for store employees to manually clean each cart throughout the day. Since the coronavirus outbreak, Hy-Vee stores have regularly cleaned carts throughout the day, as well as provided cleaning wipes at cart pickup areas. 

Related:Hy-Vee expands drive-up COVID-19 tests to over 150 pharmacies

Employing a low-pressure spray system and a dry-in-place disinfectant, Sterile Cart has a six-by-four-feet footprint, enabling it to be placed wherever shopping carts are returned and staged for customer use, Hy-Vee said. The system is made by Buffalo, Minn.-based IZZA Manufacturing and distributed by Ultra Green Packaging.

According to Kristin Davidson, president of Minneapolis-based Ultra Green, Sterile Cart was conceived and designed specifically to help fight the spread of COVID-19.

“The Sterile Cart system uses a hospital-grade disinfectant that is proven to kill 99.9% of germs and viruses that cause illnesses, including coronavirus,” Davidson explained. “The system ships fully assembled, takes up minimal space and sanitizes one to two carts per second. The Sterile Cart system provides peace of mind, knowing that the carts are cleaned after every use.”

Deployment of the cart sanitizing system to stores marks Hy-Vee’s latest effort to help combat coronavirus. Earlier this month, the company began rolling out free COVID-19 testing to more than 150 pharmacy locations across its Midwestern market area. Each pharmacy can test up to 12 patients per hour.

Hy-Vee operates more than 275 stores in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Related:Hy-Vee to distribute 3 million free face masks to shoppers

For our most up-to-date coverage, visit the coronavirus homepage.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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