The imposition of the vaccine passport in big-box stores continues to make waves. As Renaud-Bray urges the government to exempt the book industry and Walmart sows confusion on social media, merchants will be forced to put their hands in their pockets to provide devices to employees responsible for verifying with clients.
Updated yesterday at 2:46 p.m.
Prime Minister François Legault announced Thursday that, from January 24, businesses with an area greater than 1,500 m2 will have to require consumers to present their vaccination passport before beginning to shop. Costco, Walmart and Canadian Tire are among these brands. Supermarkets and pharmacies, essential businesses, will not have to comply with this new rule.
Describing this measure as “unfair” and “penalizing”, the Renaud-Bray group is asking the Legault government to back down. “The government has misjudged the impacts of this policy. It favors small bookstores, whose commercial offer is restricted and limited, ”said the group’s president, Blaise Renaud, in a press release on Friday. “We have no information as to the duration of the measure. It is therefore impossible to assess the extent of the negative impacts on the public and the players in the book chain. We therefore urge the government to suspend this measure in the book sector. »
The recent measures risk forcing Renaud-Bray to reduce its hours of operation and limit access to several of its points of sale. The measure will also directly impact Quebec authors, illustrators and publishers.
Blaise Renaud, president of the Renaud-Bray group, in a press release
In the case of Renaud-Bray, also owner of Archambault, around 5 stores out of a total of 47 will have to apply the measure.
Confusion on Walmart’s side
In addition, Walmart – which also sells groceries and pharmacy products – confused some of its customers late Thursday afternoon by writing on social media that they “did not have to present proof of vaccination to shop” in the company’s businesses. “We continue to work with governments across the country and are monitoring restrictions,” it also wrote.
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, PRESS ARCHIVES
Walmart caused confusion on social networks Thursday, saying that the vaccine passport would not be necessary in its stores, before rectifying the situation on Friday.
In an email sent to The Press Friday morning, Walmart’s senior director of public affairs, Steeve Azoulay, tried to correct the situation. “It seems that some responses on Twitter were released shortly before the end of the government press conference [jeudi] evening. The comment has since been corrected on Twitter,” he wrote.
Mr. Azoulay also sent us the official statement of the multinational. “Since the start of the pandemic, Walmart has made every effort to ensure a safe environment for its customers and associates and to comply with government requirements. Ensuring a safe customer experience remains a top priority. Following the announcement [de jeudi], we will take the time to carefully analyze the upcoming government decree. »
Purchasing phones
In addition to the incomprehension and questioning caused by the Quebec announcement, the new rule will force many merchants to buy phones that will allow employees to scan vaccine passports and thus prevent them from using their personal device. This is particularly the case of Christian Bélair, general manager of the hardware store Lortie et Martin, in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts. Renaud-Bray stores will also provide equipment to their employees. “We’re going to get two cell phones into which we’ll download the application,” says Mr. Bélair. The person at the door will scan the passports and if there is a crowd, we will ask a second person to come and scan. »
“For 22 months, 78 hours a week, we have had someone at the door making sure people wash their hands – we give them choices of soap – we have people giving baskets, adds- he. I’m the general manager and since I don’t have an employee from 7:00 to 8:00 in the morning, well, I’m the one at the door. »
Thus, Mr. Bélair would like to point out that although his hardware store is a large area – almost 4000 m2 – he too, like the little ones, has to juggle the shortage of manpower, which forces him to take on several roles during the same day in order to serve the 700 or so customers who set foot in the store daily. The government justified its decision not to impose the passport in the smallest stores by stressing that they are sorely lacking in employees.