A group of Maine retailers is starting a new campaign asking shoppers to take it easy on retailers and behave responsibly during the pandemic.
“We just want to be sure people are understanding that we need to do things a little differently and make a little extra effort to show kindness.”
Retail Association of Maine CEO Curtis Picard says the idea came out of conversations with shopkeepers in southern Maine.
“We were starting to get feedback from some Portland retailers about customers having issues with some of the requirements and, perhaps, getting a little overly aggressive or disrespectful,” says Picard.
The group has launched a campaign called "Let's Be Kind," which Picard says is focused on keeping businesses open and keeping people safe by encouraging them to follow state guidelines.
“Those guidelines are out there for a reason, there's a reason Maine has continued to keep our caseload low, and we want to make sure that maintains so we're not in a situation where we have to scale back or close back up.”
The campaign — started by Picard's organization, the Maine Grocers and Food Producers Organization and the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce — includes social media posts and TV ads.
