MAJOR STORES SPEND BIG TO CONTAIN SPREAD OF FLU

       Major retail chains such as Central Pattana and The Mall Group are taking type-A(H1N1) flu preventive measures seriously, setting long-term policies and sparing no expense to protect shoppers.
       Nataphong Kitnitchiva, group general manager for operations at The Mall Group, said yesterday that a flu protection plan has been drawn up as a long-term policy for the operator's four The Mall department stores as well as its Emporium Shopping Complex and Siam Paragon.
       "The company's board of directors has given the green light to management to spend an unlimited budget on anti-flu measures. The board sees this as an important policy to carry out without any conditions," he said.
       The company's response to the influenza outbreak was quite expensive as it has to purchase more than 1,000 litres per week of hand-wash gel for all six locations, he added.
       Sakorn Thavisin, senior manager for marketing at Central Pattana, said Central runs 35 branches nationwide, which welcome more than 1.5 million visitors per day, so it has been ready to prepare measures since the flu hit Thailand.
       Besides preparing bottles of gel at store entrances and clean shopping carts for customers, other modern trade stores such Carrefour and Big C Supercentre have also spent money for their employees to get injections.
       Seacon Square has added fresh air to its shopping mall in order to have clean air flowing throughout the day.
       Yesterday, nine retailers joined the Public Health Ministry and Thai Health Promotion Foundation to provide space near their shopping malls and modern trade stores for exercise sessions starting on Wednesday.
       The retailers are Central Pattana, The Mall Group, Tesco Lotus, Seacon Square, Future Park Rangsit and Fashion Island, Big C Supercentre and Carrefour.
       Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said those nine retailers had more than 1,200 outlets across the country welcoming more than a million shoppers per day.
       They so far have provided good care for their customers but the new collaboration will emphasise and show their commitment to protect customers from type-A(H1N1) flu as well as other seasonal flu, he added.