Coronavirus CT: Walmart Tells Single Moms No Shopping With Kids

NEWINGTON, CT — Two single mothers contacted Fox 61 and said they were rebuffed from shopping for groceries at the Walmart in Newington because they were with their children.

One mother told Fox 61 she had no choice but to bring her child and a store employee told her they would call police after the mother raised an objection. A store employee informed the two single mothers, who were not shopping together, that the new state law mandates only one family member shop.

The other mother was told she needed to find someone to watch her child, Fox 61 reports. It appears the confusion centered on interpreting Gov. Ned Lamont's executive order he signed earlier this month.

The order mandates that retailers reduce occupancy levels by 50 percent to better promote social distancing. But the order doesn't force only one family member to shop. That is strictly a recommendation but not an order from the governor. (See below for the precise language from Lamont's executive order).

A Walmart official told Fox 61 that they would be speaking with the Newington store and would address the situation. No other complaints have been lodged against any other Walmart stores in Connecticut.

>>>Read the Fox 61 story.

This is the language in Lamont's executive order, which took effect April 3, concerning shopping at essential stores like Walmart and grocery stores:

"Communicate with customers through in-store signage, and public service announcements and advertisements, there should only be one person per household during shopping trips, whenever possible."

The rules were written by the state Economic and Community Development. This is other language in Lamont's order:

• Occupancy capped at 50 percent of store capacity. At entrance, staff will maintain a count of the number of customers entering and exiting stores.
• Clearly mark 6-feet spacing in lines on floor at checkout lines and other high-traffic areas and, as much as practicable, provide ways to encourage 6-feet spacing in lines outside the store.
• Post conspicuous signage and floor markings to direct customers and limit bottlenecks and/or encourage spacing and flow in high-density areas.
• Have aisles be one-way in stores where practicable to maximize spacing between customers. Identify the one-way aisles with conspicuous signage and/or floor markings.
• Maximize space between customers and employees at checkout lines, including, but not limited to, only using every other checkout line, where and when possible.
• Install Plexiglas shields to separate employees from customers at checkout lines and other areas in the store where practicable.
• Discontinue all self-serve foods (e.g., salad bar, olive bar) and product sampling.
• Allow touchless credit card transactions. If not possible, sanitize credit card machines (including pen) regularly and consistently.
• Cart and basket handles sanitized between uses (by staff).
• Wherever possible, employees will wear gloves and face masks at all times that they are interacting with customers and/or handling products.

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