Covid 19: Supermarkets support mandatory tracer app use proposal

The scanning of the Covid-19 tracer app may become mandatory for entry into businesses. Photo / Dean Purcell

Big businesses, including major supermarkets, are supportive of the potential move to make Covid-19 tracer app scanning mandatory.

This week Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said the Government wanted to do all it could to increase the usage of the Covid tracer app - including making scanning in compulsory.

Supermarkets such as Countdown, New World and Pak'nSave signalled support for the move.

The news comes as Auckland is at level 3 lockdown and health officials scramble to trace the contacts of two Papatoetoe High School students who have just tested positive for Covid-19.

There are now five community cases of Covid-19 after a family of three tested positive on Sunday.

Kiri Hannifin from Countdown Supermarkets said the company already encouraged visitors to the store to scan in but would "fully support" any decision to make use mandatory.

At the moment it was compulsory for businesses to display the QR code but voluntary for customers to scan.

Hannifin said the importance of scanning was evident when someone who tested positive for Covid -19 visited the store.

"We were very grateful they used the app on entry as it meant we were able to pinpoint the exact time of entry really quickly, and take immediate action to support our team, all of whom were asked to isolate," Hannifin said.

"This was really unsettling for our team members but being able to provide timely and accurate information minimised the impact and all of our team had support within the hour."

Under current regulations store owners can encourage customers to scan but it is voluntary.

On Monday afternoon, a 15-minute Bay of Plenty Times survey witnessed two of 20 people use the app when entering Countdown Tauranga on Cameron Rd.

More than two million people are registered for the app nationwide but the January average of scans per day fell to just 465,000.

University of Auckland research fellow with Koi Tū Dr Andrew Chen said mandatory scanning was the best way to ensure compliance. Photo / Supplied

University of Auckland research fellow with Koi Tū Dr Andrew Chen said the biggest tracing app success overseas was when scanning was made mandatory.

"The strongest driver is making the app mandatory so there is very high uptake in a few middle eastern countries," Chen said.

"Otherwise it's just the Government pushing their messaging to use the app."

He said some countries where app use was not mandatory scanning was so low it seemed like they had "given up on digital contact tracing".

Chen said until scanning in became mandatory, businesses could encourage customers to scan by friendly reminders or incentivising.

Chen said having staff giving gentle reminders to scan also helped.

He said this worked in a similar way to the Government's "Sani Squads" at festivals reminding people to wash their hands and scan in.

Tony's Steakhouse in Wellesley St offered a 5 per cent discount to diners who scanned the QR code. Photo / Dean Purcell.

Earlier this year Auckland restaurant Tony's Steakhouse offered diners who used the NZ Covid Tracer app a 5 per cent discount.

Restaurant manager Kelson Henderson said staff felt incredibly lucky to be open to the public for so long given the ongoing lockdown status in other parts of the world.

"We're incredibly lucky to be able to go and have a night out with friends in New Zealand, and we want to do everything we can to stay at this level of utopia," he said.

Chen had five tips for businesses to ensure customers scanned:

1) Usability and Access

Place the posters where it will be easy for customers to scan - try it out yourself as staff! Print in colour if you can, as this helps people recognise the poster and associate it with the app.

2) Nudging

A simple prompt can significantly increase the likelihood that someone scans the QR code. It doesn't necessarily need to be at the entrance but at some point when the customer is in the store a staff member should ask "could you scan the QR code please?" Chen said it was important to have a plan for customers who refuse to scan such as de-escalation. Also a need to acknowledge not everyone can scan, so to have flexibility and compassion.

3) Incentivisation

It's great to see some businesses providing discounts or other incentives for scanning in. Even a small incentive can have a significant impact, like a 5 per cent discount on a meal. It is important to design these incentives so that people aren't incentivised to scan multiple times to get more benefit.

4) Privacy

The app offers much better privacy for individuals, and so it's useful for businesses to emphasise that scanning the QR code is better for privacy than writing down their details on the piece of paper.

For those who can't scan, provide a ballot box system where name, time and contact details can be put on a small piece of paper and placed in a box.