ESSENTIAL BUSINESS WHAT IS THAT .. AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
This information has been obtained from the official government COVID 19 website covid19.govt.nz please refer to this site for reliable updates and information. We will endeavour to piece out the parts that are important and applicable to make it easier for you, but always use the official site if you need more.
"Essential businesses, and those that support them, will continue to provide the necessities of life for everyone in New Zealand during Alert Level 4.
This means food, medicine, healthcare, energy, fuel, waste-removal, internet and financial support will continue to be available.
Alert Level 4 means New Zealanders not working in essential services must stay at home and stop all physical interactions with others outside of your household."
FAST MOVING CONSUMER GOODS (Lead agency: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment)
This is "any entity involved in the supply, delivery, distribution and sale of food, beverage and other key consumer goods essential for maintaining the wellbeing of people".
Fast moving goods "are generally the kinds of things you buy at supermarkets. They are affordable, in high demand, and sold quickly.
These would typically include:
- food,
- beverages
- toiletries and personal care items
- cleaning products
- baby products, eg formula and nappies
- pet food
- over-the-counter medicines
- alcohol, tobacco and vaping products
- stationery."
ON-LINE FOOD DELIVERY
"Online delivery of food other than cooked prepared meals such as takeaways is allowed. Meals-on-Wheels and alternative meals on wheels services that have been referred from a DHB, ACC or MSD may operate and whole-food delivery may continue to operate (eg subscription food boxes are okay)."
"Ordering, payment and delivery must be contactless and the business must operate safely within the general health guidelines such as physical separation and hygiene."
ALL SUPERMARKETS AND DAIRIES ARE CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES.
"A supermarket's primary focus is selling food product, and is a retail store operating on a self-service basis, selling groceries, fresh produce, meat, bakery and dairy products, and sometimes an assortment of non-food goods. Dairies must operate a one-in-one-out rule, and cannot sell cooked food."
Please note: WholeyHealth! Village Market, along with Bin In Stores, PuttiPutti Ra, etc, ALL sell the same products as a supermarkets and dairies, and are allowed to be open. Here at WholeyHealth! Village Market we are supporters of local producers, and sustainable/fair-trade goods. Our prices are based on not-for-profit principles so they are at their best price and will not be increased by us during Lockdown. We are transparent about our need to cover extra costs during this time and our surcharge is clearly stated. We are operating under stricter and safer non-contact rules as there is no self-service in-store. Customers are not able to enter the premises.
"Who can work: At Alert Level 4, we all need to stay in our household bubbles. If you or your employees can work from home, they can continue to work at Alert Level 4.
If your business provides an Alert Level 4 business or service, then your employees can go into work if they cannot work from home.
You cannot apply to provide an Alert Level 4 service — instead it is up to the business to check whether they meet the definition of an Alert Level 4 business or service.
You do not need an exemption or permission to operate or for your employees to go to work.
"What is considered an essential service may change over time. Some activities that are not essential now may become essential if New Zealand remains at alert level 4 for a sustained period. All essential services will still need to operate in a way that limits the risk of the spread and transmission of COVID-19.
"Whole-food delivery services (eg subscription food boxes) and supermarket delivery services can continue to operate but must use non-contact delivery measures ie online and phone orders and contactless delivery".
WHAT IS WHOLEY HEALTH! VILLAGE MARKET DOING TO MEET THESE EXPECTATIONS:
- Only people who are bubbled here and select essential workers (who have secure bubbles) have access into the shop area during business hours.
- We will operate under the current legislative expectations of a Level 4 business
- We have a cool store for the safe storage of fresh produce where required
- In accordance with 2021 protocol, we are able to sell directly from our premises as long as we manage hygiene and safety standards. Currently, you can order at the door and wait with 2+m distances while we pack the orders, while subscribed members can send email orders and have them ready for contactless collection. We do not allow customers into the store as we feel this is the safest method for everyone and keeps our bubble intact also.
- We have sufficient variety of goods and products to reduce the need for people to travel to central locations and we are endeavouring to add as much of this listed on our website as possible.
- We will be co-ordinating safe and non-contact trading with other essential businesses and workers to minimise the amount of travel required for goods movement and reduce the need for customers/workers to travel also
- We are transparent about extra charges and do not "hide" them in food or other product prices.
- The Cafe part of the business is closed until further notice
FACE MASKS AS OF AUGUST 2021:
"You legally must wear a face covering if you are a customer or an employee involving customer contact at a business or service operating at Alert Level 4.
This means, you legally must wear a face covering:
*on public transport and at departure points, for example train stations and bus stops
on flights
*in taxi or ride-share vehicles — drivers and passengers
when visiting healthcare facilities
* INSIDE any Alert Level 4 businesses and services that are still open and involve customer contact, including supermarkets, pharmacies and petrol stations
*in the public areas of courts and tribunals, local and central government agencies, and social service providers with customer service counters"
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN AT WHOLEY HEALTH! VILLAGE MARKET?
It means that we expect polite and respectful use of face masks given the circumstances.
We understand and respect that there are varying opinions about face mask use (and distancing), however, it is important to have clarity and allow the people who are the most vulnerable (and feeling vulnerable) to feel safe, and free, to access their necessities without stress. Also, we just want to supply beautiful fresh local produce and good quality affordable food and household necessities to people who want the same - ignoring this simple and harmless gesture puts that service at risk for everyone, and adds stress to our mahi.
Because you will be outside of our store - in accordance with the updated regulations above - please wear a mask:
* when communicating with staff within proximity or speaking from the door (a lot of road noise)
* when you need to be in relatively close proximity to other customers (ie: you need to pass by them, stand within 2m distance or share resources such as pen, eft-pos, etc),
* when stepping in to use the eft-pos machine.
* we are so fortunate to be rural and we have a lot of room to spread out - so (while you wait) please do! If you are well away from anyone, or in your car, or waiting on the drive way, and you feel the need to breathe fresh air - please do!
Also, please USE THE SANITISERS (or your own) when touching shared surfaces.
The answer is always AROHA - it is why our business exists - lets be kind to each other.
DOES AN ESSENTIAL BUSINESS NEED TO BE ACCREDITED?
"There is not a formal accreditation for essential businesses or their employees" (from govt website 2020)
"You do not need to apply to operate with MBIE or MPI during Alert Level 4. It is up to you to check if your business meets the criteria of an Alert Level 4 business or service." https://covid19.govt.nz/business-and-money/businesses/operating-safely/doing-business-at-alert-level-4/#businesses-and-services-that-can-operate-under-alert-level-4