Šimonytė on restricting store activities: hard to find right solution



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Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė admits that small non-food stores that cannot operate during the quarantine are a very painful subject. That’s why traders have been hearing a proposal to ban the sale of non-food products to large retail chains as well.

“The problem is that some large centers also sell non-food products, as if creating competition for non-food stores with limited activities.

But my answer is very simple: at this stage it is difficult to find correct and very precise conditions to avoid this problem. We believe that the main purpose of people to go to grocery stores, pharmacies or other places to meet their basic needs should be the basic rule. Therefore, such a rule has been established, ”I. Šimonytė told reporters on Monday.

Stores are closing

During the quarantine, it was decided to close non-food stores, shopping and entertainment centers, markets and other public outlets.

Exceptions are provided for businesses whose main activity is the sale of food, veterinary, pharmaceutical, optical and technical orthopedic devices.

The food will also be available in markets and other public outlets. The restriction does not apply to online commerce and when the goods are delivered to natural and legal persons or collected at collection points.

Stores whose activities are not prohibited must provide at least 15 m2 M. m of retail space per visitor or ensure that no more than one person is served at a time.

Other conditions set by the Statewide Emergency Operations Manual must also be met.

The issue of selling non-food items in stores that can work was also discussed during the meeting. The question has been raised as to whether trade in non-food products should be banned.

“Taking additional repressive measures and wrapping shampoos or other measures in red supermarket strips in supermarkets would be even more energy that is not directed there,” criticized the idea the Minister of Economy and Innovation Aušrinė Armonaitė.

There has also been a debate on how to determine which goods are necessary for the population and which are not.



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