When grocery and retail stores call on their intercoms, they’ll often recite numbers or words in a specific order. These are codes for products, conduct etc that are shared between store staff.
Safeway has a set of codes that many customers are curious about. If you’d like to know more about what these codes mean, continue reading this article to see what I found out!
Safeway Intercom Code Meanings
Safeway employees are given a list of codes to announce over the intercom during certain situations. These codes are used to apprehend shoplifters, alert staff to a missing child, and more. Safeway does not disclose most of its specific codes. However, Target and Walmart share and use the same code names for similar situations.
If you’d like to learn more about Safeway’s intercom codes, their procedures for announcing codes, and more, continue reading this article for more helpful information.
What is Safeway’s Code Green?
There is no official definition for Code Green at Safeway specifically, as many retail and grocery stores have their own individual meanings attributed to this code title.
Code Green stands for shoplifting, a medical emergency, and a hostage situation in various stores. Safeway has not officially stated what they use Code Green for.
However, stores such as Walmart use Code Green for a hostage situations. As Walmart and Safeway share many operational similarities, they likely use Code Green for hostage.
Safeway employees are not allowed to disclose this information for security reasons.
However, if a shopper hears “Code Green” over the intercom, they should be cautious.
What is Safeway’s Code for Shoplifting?
Safeway is not allowed to disclose the information for most of its codes.
However, stores such as Walmart called “Code 100” or “Code 200” over the intercom when they are apprehending a shoplifter.
Therefore, Safeway likely also uses codes 100 or 200 to alert staff to a possible shoplifter.
Customers are recommended to be cautious in Safeway if they hear this code announced over the intercom, as it could relate to several serious situations.
What is Safeway’s Code 201?
When there’s a phone call for a certain department in Safeway, an employee will announce “Attention- two zero one” to alert a certain department that they have a line one phone call.
What is Safeway’s Code 202?
If multiple departments in Safeway receive phone calls simultaneously, a store employee will call “Attention- two zero two.”
This alerts another department that they have a call waiting on line two.
What is Safeway’s Code 1250?
No information is currently available for the meaning of code 1250 for Safeway.
This code could apply to a variety of situations, and therefore customers are urged to remain cautious.
What is Safeway’s Code Adam?
Safeway and many other retail and grocery stores implemented Code Adam into their store protocols.
Walmart originally invented Code Adam in 1994 to find missing children within the store.
If a child is reported as missing at Safeway, they will proceed with the following method:
- A store associate takes a detailed description of the missing child. They specifically ask for the color of the child’s shoes in case the kidnapper tries to change the clothes the child is wearing. A kidnapper may be able to put the child in a different piece of clothing, but it’s unlikely that they will change the shoes. This enables Safeway staff to pick the child out of a crowd.
- All-access to Safeway from the outside is locked and monitored. Customers are not allowed to enter or exit until the situation has been dealt with.
- A store associate will promptly access the nearest in-store phone intercom and page a Code Adam. They describe the child’s appearance over the intercom, while employees begin monitoring the front store and searching for the missing child.
- If the child is not found after ten minutes of searching, a Safeway employee will phone the local police and explain the situation at hand.
- Once the child has been located and appears unharmed, they are reunited with the parent or guardian they entered the store with.
- If the child is found with an adult who is not their guardian, discreet and safe steps will be taken to remove the child from the person accompanying them. Law enforcement will also be called and notified of the appearance of the potential abductor.
- Once the child is safe and returned to their parents or handed over to law enforcement, the Code Adam page will be called off and the store will return to its usual day-to-day business.
Does Safeway Use the Same Codes as Other Stores?
Safeway shares its code list with several different stores. Walmart and Target specifically share codes such as Code Green, Code Adam, and Code 100/ 200.
If you want to learn more about Safeway, you can also read our related articles on Safeway Club Card, why is Safeway so expensive, and if Safeway price matches.
Conclusion
Safeway intercom codes are announced to alert staff to delicate situations. These codes are intended for apprehending shoplifters, locating a missing child, alerting hostage situations, and more.
Safeway does not disclose the definitions for most of its codes.
However, stores such as Target and Walmart share code names with Safeway, and each store uses these codes for sensitive situations.
Therefore, customers are urged to be cautious when they hear codes recited while shopping at Safeway as a safety precaution.
