The Association of Convenience Stores has called for clarity and
support from the government as retailers and other businesses
prepare for the end of legal social distancing and face covering
requirements on 19 July. ACS has been attending meetings and
engaging with officials across government, and says its members
need:
- A clear expectation about whether they can set policies on
social distancing and face coverings, for the safety of their
customers and colleagues;
- High level support from government making clear that business
policies should be respected and that abuse of shopworkers and
others for implementing these policies will not be tolerated;
- Clarity on whether the government sees adhering to social
distancing and wearing face coverings in shops as best practice.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “We are already hearing
mixed messages from the Prime Minister, other cabinet members and
advisors. If the public are being asked to act responsibly,
specifically what are they being asked to do? Can operations
ranging from transport networks to local shops set policies on
social distancing and wearing face coverings, are the government
asking people to respect those policies or to exercise their own
judgement, and will the government support business in
implementing these policies?
“Our members will be faced with a group of customers who are
uneasy about the lack of restrictions, and a group who are eager
to move on from social distancing. We cannot support everyone
without government messaging that customers should respect
business’s policies. The tensions in government messaging will
play out not in the corridors of government departments but on
trains and buses and in the aisles of shops.”
ACS is taking its plea for clarity and support to meetings with
the Cabinet Office and other government departments this week.
ACS will also be issuing new and existing resources to support
retailers in their communications with customers.
