Operation Aware

Golden Pantry...Golden Opportunity

Golden Pantry Food Stores, Inc

Operation “AWARE” (Active Watch for Alcohol and tobacco Responsible Employees)

Golden Pantry is pleased to announce OPERATION AWARE, a company initiative to keep alcohol and tobacco out of the hands of the children of our community.  Operation AWARE focuses on communication between the company, our employees, and our customers so that the regulations for the sale of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products are consistently followed in all company stores at all times.

“We are committed to the communities we serve and have always done our part to ensure that every sale of alcohol or tobacco at our stores is a legal sale,” says Michael Griffith, president of Golden Pantry.  “Our policy for many years has been to ask for identification on every alcoholic beverage sale, even when local ordinance did not require it.  Now we have decided that we must do more in this fight against underage drinking.”

Operation AWARE starts with each Golden Pantry employee.  Traditionally, Golden Pantry has focused on the consequences to the employee who makes an illegal alcoholic beverage sale.  Employees are cautioned about immediate arrest, fines, possible jail time, and automatic loss of job.  While that type of training will continue, operation AWARE will focus on rewarding employees for recognizing an illegal sale and not allowing the sale.  Golden Pantry will begin a mystery shopper program designed to catch employees making an alcohol or tobacco sale correctly and rewarding them on the spot.

“Our employees are our only line of defense in this battle.  We will do everything in our power to convince our employees it is OK to say ‘no’, in fact we want them to say ‘no’ when warranted because an illegal sale hurts everyone,” Mr. Griffith says.

AWARE also seeks to address the many ways a minor can obtain alcohol and tobacco products illegally.  For example, retailers are facing a proliferation of Internet provided false Ids.   These IDs are relatively easy to obtain and look professionally done.  However, Golden Pantry believes an alert employee can spot them.  Golden Pantry encourages employees who are presented with a false ID during an attempted alcohol or tobacco purchase to retain it and call the police.

Operation AWARE involves customers too!  Most of our customers who buy alcohol have their ID out and ready by the time they come to the checkout counter.  Some customers however, do not understand why they are asked for ID.  AWARE will focus on thanking customers who willingly comply with an employee’s request for ID and provide educational material posted in the location to help employees with customers who do not realize how serious the request for ID is.

Background:

Golden Pantry has one of the most comprehensive training programs for new hires in the industry.  One aspect of that training is the sale of products that have an age restriction.  New employees are introduced to the correct way to handle an alcoholic beverage and tobacco sale on their first day.  That message is reinforced during his/her on the job training at the store and through periodic reminders thereafter.

Director of Operations Ray Smith: “We stress that the employee is fully responsible for making sure the sale is done right, and that they are empowered to turn down any alcoholic beverage or tobacco sale.  In fact, the last line of our policy states ‘if you are unsure, DO NOT sell!’”