What counts as ‘essential items’?
THE details of what essential items will be allowed to be sold in supermarkets and what they are being told to stop selling has been published.
The Welsh Government has said that in large supermarkets or department stores, “it will be clear that certain sections or aisles of the store must be cordoned off or emptied, and closed to the public”.
Regulations, being introduced from 6pm yesterday, say parts of a store selling electrical goods, telephones, clothes, toys and games, and products for the garden should be closed to the public – and these products should not be sold.
What can be sold?
The products and services which can be sold (or hired out) in stores are any products which would normally be sold in food and drink retailers (including off licences), newsagents, building supplies and hardware stores, pharmacies and chemists, bicycle shops, petrol stations, garages and vehicle hire businesses, post offices, banks, building societies and similar, pet shops, agricultural and aquacultural supplies shops, livestock markets and auctions, batteries, light bulbs and rubber gloves that would often be sold in other types of shop that are allowed to remain open such as petrol stations and newsagents – they may continue to be sold.
The rules state: “Businesses which would normally sell a range of products in their stores may only sell those items which fall into the categories above.
“This is likely to mean some areas of stores should be closed to customer access. It will be important though for such stores to manage access to different categories of goods in a way that ensures customers and staff can circulate safely within the store.
“Some products may need to remain available to avoid creating unnecessary constraints on a mixed product aisle to the safe circulation of customers.”
What can’t be sold?
They advise that certain sections or aisles of the store must be cordoned off or emptied, and closed to the public.
As the main categories, those parts of a store selling electrical goods, telephones, clothes, toys and games, and products for the garden should be closed to the public – and these products should not be sold. Dedicated sections selling homeware products should also be closed. Homeware includes utensils, crockery, furniture, bedding and decorative objectives for the home.
The Welsh Government added: “Products that can’t be sold, but which are normally located amongst goods that can be sold, should ideally either be removed or sealed off, preferably the former.”
“Where these products remain on the shop floor, shops should make it clear to customers that they are not for sale. We expect shops to ensure that these products are not sold, though enforcing this rule need not necessarily be the responsibility of “front line” staff such as those working on the checkout.”
Only shops that are allowed to be open can continue to offer click and collect services, and these services should only be available for items that are allowed to be sold in store where possible.
All services on this list, whether or not required to close, are entitled to continue to use their premises for the purposes of managing the sale, hire or delivery of goods or services, if this is managed online, by telephone or mail order.