Operating safely during Covid-19

Supporting our communities and governments

Kingfisher reaffirms its commitment to supporting communities and governments in managing the COVID-19 pandemic. As a responsible retailer we are focused on making sure that we can continue to serve our customers’ essential needs as effectively as possible, while protecting the safety of all concerned.

As part of this commitment, in March we ringfenced all remaining stock of personal protective equipment (PPE) and donated it to frontline healthcare workers. Total committed donations to our communities and health authorities amount to over £2.5 million so far. Additional PPE continues to be ordered and as a priority is being donated to health authorities in the countries in which we operate as well as being used to equip our colleagues.

Social distancing and safety measures

Based on government advice, and learnings from internal best practices and major food retailers across Europe, all reopened Kingfisher stores operate under strict social distancing and safety measures to protect customers and colleagues. These include:

• The provision of gloves, visors and masks to colleagues
• Limiting the number of customers in store
• Safe queuing before entering the store
• Sanitiser stations throughout the store
• Floor navigational markers to help enforce social distancing
• Perspex screens at paint mixing and timber cutting stations, in showrooms and at checkouts
• Encouraging contactless or card payments (notwithstanding the legal obligation in some markets to accept cash as payment)

Similar measures are also in place at our distribution and fulfilment centres, and training has been provided to colleagues to help support and implement these changes to their work environment.

In most cases, the measures applied have gone beyond government recommendations in each market. Furthermore, we have set up formal and regular internal audits of the application of health, hygiene and safety rules. To date these measures have been met with strong approval by both customers and colleagues and we continue to both monitor and improve the effectiveness of these on a day-to-day basis.