Kroger's Georgia Stores Hiring, Maintaining Store Hours

GEORGIA — Kroger is working to keep shelves stocked and give extra work to those who need it while the new coronavirus cases rise across Georgia and nationwide.

Kroger’s Atlanta Division, which includes Georgia, eastern Alabama and South Carolina, is hiring new associates to help keep stores stocked with food and essentials – and urges those in industries hard hit by the coronavirus, such as restaurants, hospitality and travel, to apply for open positions. Those interested may apply at jobs.kroger.com.

Additionally, Kroger stores in Georgia, eastern Alabama and South Carolina are not limiting hours at this time.

“We want to emphasize that customers should not panic. The supply chain is strong and has not been interrupted,” said Felix Turner manager of corporate affairs for Kroger’s Atlanta Division. “Our associates, management team and suppliers are working hard to replenish shelves as quickly as possible to ensure that the food, medicine and cleaning supplies are reaching our stores as quickly as possible and are available through our pickup, delivery and ship services. We will be there for our communities when they need us most.”

See more: Publix, GA Grocery Store Hours In Flux For Cleaning, Stocking

Don't miss updates about precautions in Georgia as they are announced. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters.

The Georgia National Guard has been called in to help with the distribution of food and medicine after Gov. Brian Kemp on Saturday signed Georgia's first public health emergency declaration. The state of emergency includes price control restrictions for Georgia until April 14 as shoppers scramble to find necessities like toilet paper and cleaning supplies.

The anti-price gouging measures prohibit sellers from increasing prices significantly from pre-emergency levels, and allows Georgians to report potential violators.

After Kemp declared a public health state of emergency, he ordered that "during preparation, response and recovery activities for this public health emergency, price gouging of goods and services necessary to support public health would be detrimental to the social and economic welfare of the citizens of this state. Accordingly, he enacted price gouging controls for the state."

"Businesses may not sell, or offer to sell at retail, any goods or services identified by the governor ... at a price higher than the price at which the good or services were sold or offered for sale before the declaration of the state of emergency.

Price increases on goods or services are permitted only if they accurately reflect an increase in the cost of new stock or the cost to transport it, plus the retailer's average markup percentage applied during the ten days immediately prior to the declaration of a state of emergency.

To report suspected price gouging, please complete an online form. We do appreciate as much detailed information as you can provide and copies of any and all relevant documentation, including pictures. Please note there is a limitation on the number as well as size of files you can upload. If you intend to report multiple companies for suspected price gouging activity, please submit one price gouging complaint form per company."

As of Monday morning, one person in Cobb County has died from the respiratory virus, and the number of confirmed and presumed positive cases of COVID-19 rose from 99 on Sunday to 121 cases in 23 counties by Monday.

Globally, more than 169,000 people have been infected and more than 6,500 people have died from the new coronavirus, Johns Hopkins reported Monday morning. Of that total, more than 3,700 confirmed cases are in the United States. There have been 59 deaths in the U.S. have been tied to the virus outbreak.