Sainsbury's announces store closures and brings in new strict coronavirus measures

One of the UK’s leading supermarkets has announced it will close 12 stores temporarily due to lack of demand, as it joins other brands in bringing in stringent social distancing measures.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Sainsbury's is temporarily closing 12 convenience stores which have seen "significantly fewer customers in recent days as people are working from home".

The employees will move to neighbouring stores until these stores re-open.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In a letter to customers, Sainsbury's chief executive Mike Coupe also said the number of people allowed in stores and at ATMs at any one time will be limited.

Sainsbury's has announced new measures at its supermarkets for during the coronavirus pandemic (Photo credit should read BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)Sainsbury's has announced new measures at its supermarkets for during the coronavirus pandemic (Photo credit should read BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)
Sainsbury's has announced new measures at its supermarkets for during the coronavirus pandemic (Photo credit should read BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)

He said queuing systems will be put in place outside stores and people are urged to arrive throughout the day to avoid long queues forming in the morning, and encouraged people to pay by card.

"We will be reminding people in stores to keep a safe distance from other customers and from our colleagues," he said.

Mr Coupe said the number of checkouts will be reduced and screens will be introduced.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said many customers have written to him to say they are elderly or vulnerable and are struggling to book online delivery slots.

"We are doing our absolute best to offer online delivery slots to elderly, disabled and vulnerable customers. These customers have priority over all slots.

"Our customer Careline has been inundated with requests from elderly and vulnerable customers - we have had one year's worth of contacts in two weeks.

"We have proactively contacted 270,000 customers who had already given us information that meant we could identify them as being in these groups," he said.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Coupe, who apologised to regular online customers, and said they have already booked in slots for 115,000 elderly, disabled and vulnerable customers this week.

Meanwhile, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Asda plan to limit the number of shoppers allowed into their stores at any given time.

Tesco boss Dave Lewis has written to customers saying staff will draw new floor markings in the checkout areas, install protective screens on checkouts, and introduce one-way aisles.

"Our social distancing plans aim to protect customers from the moment they enter our car parks, to browsing products, to paying and finally exiting our stores," he wrote.

Related topics: