COVID-19 Resources for Retailers
Up-to-date News & Info

The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) is actively monitoring the status of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak and is working with key governmental officials, agencies and health organizations tasked with overseeing the response to COVID-19. The health, safety and well-being of the general public is of paramount importance to RILA and the retailers RILA represents.

View RILA Statements

Resources

RILA will continue to adapt our programs and activities to address the situation as it evolves. We welcome recommendations of other topics or areas for which RILA can provide support to leading retailers as this situation develops. We will update this page regularly.

Open for Business - A Blueprint for Shopping Safe

Retailers are ready to assist states with the important task of safely re-opening, with an underlying commitment to helping all families Shop Safe.

Retail Works to Vaccinate America

Retailers are offering resources and support to employees throughout the vaccination process and leading communities to help provide vaccines.

Simple Ask, Wear A Mask

The simple act of wearing a mask shows the retailers serving your community that you care about their employees’ health and yours.

State and Local Resources for COVID-19 and Protests

View state and local response, curfews, reopening plans, DHS situation reports and more!

Federal Agencies & Public Health Resources

Links to external resources from federal agencies, health institutions and associations. Content is not managed or updated by RILA.

Retail Operations COVID-19 Resource Library

A compilation of retailers’ corporate headquarters’ reopening plans. (Members-only content. Please log-in to access.)

Helping Displaced Workers Find Continued Work

To support retailers RILA has leveraged relationships with staffing services to provide retailers with options to help displaced workers.

Environmental Compliance and Sustainability Resources

Resources on changes to regulatory requirements for environmental compliance and sustainability as a result of COVID-19.

Reopening and Recovery Insights for Retail Leaders

After almost a year of the start of COVID-19, the retail industry is looking forward to a full reopening of our communities and our economy.

Retail Compass: Reopening and Recovery

In the News

Featuring coverage of Retail Industry Leaders Association in the news on the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.

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Press Room

Latest news from the Retail Industry Leaders Association on the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.

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COVID-19 Updates

Latest updates on COVID-19 and how they are impacting retailers across the nation. (Retail Members-only. Please log-in to access).

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Members-Only Resources for COVID-19

Store Operations COVID-19 Resource Library

Strategies on broad range of protocols, from social distancing, metering, sanitization, and more. (Members-only content. Please log-in to access).

RILA Recorded COVID-19 Webinars

Watch previously held RILA webinars across all functions on COVID-19. (Members-only. Please log-in to access).

Supply Chain COVID-19 Resource Library

Supply chain-specific protocols, documents, and benchmarking notes. (Members-only content. Please log-in to access).

COVID-19 Calls and Webinars

To help leading retailers and the general public stay informed and assist with crisis planning, RILA has prepared a series of activities and resources to enable retail industry executives to work together to address the challenging operational issues presented by the novel coronavirus.

RILA calls and webinars are only for RILA retail members unless otherwise designated. These programs are designed to elicit candid feedback and allow for a robust exchange of concerns and ideas among peers within the industry.

How to Join an Upcoming Meeting

Upcoming calls/webinars will be listed below as they are scheduled. If you are a RILA retail member and would like to participate in the conversations below, please reach out to Kelly Foelber at kelly.foelber@rila.org for registration information.

RILA advocacy and legislative updates

Letter from Retailers to Governor Abbott

Joint letter from RILA, NRF, and TRA requesting that the retail industry, as well as our suppliers and distributors, be deemed as essential.

Retail letter to California Governor Newsom

Retailers send letter to California Governor Newsom urging him to update yesterday’s order closing non-essential businesses.

Retail Letter to Governors

RILA and NRF jointly sent a letter to governors urging them to issue concise, statewide orders that create clarity for essential businesses.

Safety is Essential – A Message to Governors from Retailers

RILA letter to governors emphasizes the importance of shopping safe and encourages uniform, statewide orders to create clarity for businesses.

RILA encourages states to prioritize retail workers

Letter to National Governors Association, urging policymakers to remember the millions of retail workers that kept supply chain running & stores safe.

RILA Board Chair and Ulta Beauty CEO says retailers need support from Washington: ‘We need companies to survive’.

Leading retailers and America's governors are encouraging customers to be safe and wear masks while out in public.

Retail Industry Leaders Association president Brian Dodge discusses how robots are bringing innovation to the retail industry during the coronavirus pandemic.

In the Media

"Regardless of the means by which shoppers receive their goods, retailers are taking extra care and precautionary measures, both in stores and in distribution centers, to protect workers as they ensure communities have access to food, cleaning supplies, essential household goods, and more.” — RILA VP of supply chain Jess Dankert.

Chain Store Age

“This is obviously a difficult position for both the businesses and employees to be in,” said Brian Dodge, president of the Retail Industry Leaders Association…” “However, the actions by government will preserve health benefits and ensure that workers can get back to work the moment the crisis passes.” — RILA President Brian Dodge

Bloomberg Quint

“We need companies to survive. We need people to go back to work,” she said in an interview Wednesday on “Squawk on the Street.” “And so we are counting on making sure that the bill that passes really thinks this through and gives us options in terms of liquidity and capital.” — Mary Dillon, Chair, RILA and Ulta Beauty, CEO

CNBC

“The health and safety of employees, customers, and communities is the top priority for leading retailers. Retailers are following recommendations provided by the CDC and share the immediate goal of slowing the spread of the virus. Retailers prepare in advance for crisis circumstances like this so they can serve the critical needs of their customers by quickly and thoughtfully adjusting a wide variety of practices, including those related to their supply chains, stores, and employees. Families are counting on retailers right now and retailers are determined to be there for them.”