Gap Inc. Outlines Strategic Plan For Store Re-Openings, Including Health And Safety Measures

Company Shares the Shopping Experience Customers Can Expect from its Family of Brands in this New Normal

Just as customers look to Gap Inc.’s family of brands as a trusted place for the styles they love, we have been working hard to implement enhanced safety measures that will make us a trusted place for customers to return to shopping as the economy reopens.

As Gap Inc. prepares to re-open up to 800 of our Old Navy, Athleta, Gap, Banana Republic, Janie and Jack and Intermix stores before the end of the month, starting with a small selection of locations in Texas this weekend, our top priority remains the health and safety of our employees, customers and communities. 

We are actively working with the local government, led by health official guidelines, and in partnership with RILA and industry peers, to open our stores when and where it is safe to do so. Our approach to reopening balances the fact that taking care takes time, with the urgent need to restore the economy and provide the opportunity for our teams to come back to work.

“In working with industry partners and public officials to define Safe Shopping practices, we’re eager to begin welcoming our teams and customers back to our stores, and confident in our ability to safely scale North America openings over the coming months in line with local guidelines,” said Sonia Syngal, CEO of Gap Inc. “We continue to use this crisis as an opportunity at every turn. As we leverage our stores as distribution hubs, lean into the meaningful acceleration of our online business and play forward the learnings from our Asia business where all locations are now open, we believe we’ll be well-positioned as this crisis subsides.” 

As customers’ lives have shifted, so have the ways we’re meeting their needs. In addition to 1,000 Ship from Store locations, Curbside Pickup is available in 75 locations to provide our customers a comfortable (contactless) and seamless customer experience and we have plans to expand both programs in the coming months. We know customers’ needs have and will continue to change as things evolve, so our teams are monitoring and adjusting to meet them where they are.

As we adapt to this new normal together, we are prepared to deliver customers a shopping experience that supports the health and safety of our communities, with the brands that they love and trust. Here are the steps we’re taking to bring our customers confidence during this time:

• Implementing rigorous cleaning routines throughout each store and providing hand sanitizer stations at our front doors and cash wraps
• Supplying all team members with high-quality, reusable face masks to wear during their shifts and encouraging customers to wear a face covering while shopping
• Installing plexiglass health guard partitions in front of registers and for mobile payments
• Posting signage throughout the store encouraging customers to observe social distancing guidelines
• Opening with reduced hours and actively monitoring the flow of customers in stores
• Temporarily closing restrooms
• Ensuring teams follow healthy hygiene habits such as frequent hand washing/sanitizing and monitor for COVID-19 symptoms before heading to work with a provided health checklist