Retailers associations welcome ‘Living with Covid’ plan but call for absolute clarity

Leading retailers association has called on the UK’s new plans of living with Covid but has called on for absolute clarity on things like face coverings and isolation rules after prime minister Boris Johnson on Monday (21) announced plans to end free testing for the general public from April 1, saying it was time for people to “get our confidence back”.

People who test positive for Covid will no longer have to be isolated by law from this Thursday – and from April will not even be advised to stay at home if infected, the prime minister said.

Johnson admitted that while the pandemic is not over, vaccines have made it possible for the country to start moving towards normality.

Reacting to Johnson’s announcement, the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) CEO Andrew Goodacre welcomed the further reduction in restrictions but also called for absolute clarity.

“With consumer confidence being so fragile (due to the financial squeeze) to gain the maximum positive impact from ‘living with Covid’ reduced we must have the following:

• Clear messages on the behaviours expected and absolute clarity on things like face coverings. I doubt that shops will remove the perspex screens just yet because they are largely unobtrusive and may be needed in the future.
• Clear messages on the isolation rules, especially for retail workers. We also know that free testing will no longer be available from April 1st, which we are also concerned about. Employers have a duty of care and need to know if they are required to provide testing facilities to employees – if yes then the kits should be free to employers.
• Reassurance that we can look forward with positivity, whilst accepting that Covid has not gone away.

“By doing this there is a better chance that consumer confidence in high streets will return and make 2022 the real year of revival for retail. Let’s not forget that 75% of all retail sales still occur in shops and this could go even higher with the right support,” Goodacre said.

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said, “the lifting of the legal requirement to self-isolate may further speed the return to a more normal experience for customers, employees and businesses. Retailers will be looking closely at the details of the plans.

“However, we all have a personal responsibility towards the safety of those around us and we ask customers to be considerate of those around them and avoid retail settings if they are showing Covid symptoms.”

Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) too is asking for more clarity to help retailers as the Scottish government prepares to unveil its refreshed Covid framework.