Traders are preparing to work with a passport of opportunity: there are strict controls

According to Rūta Vainienė, director of the Lithuanian Business Companies Association, business companies create instructions for employees who will have to verify customers, but it is difficult to do so, there are no examples that can be applied.

“It just came to our knowledge then. You cannot use the examples of good practice, because the passport of opportunity does not apply in the trade of the countries of the European Union,” R. Vainienė told BNS.

“There is no place to get it, it is created from a sheet of white paper. We have asked the Ministry of Health to provide examples of those documents that can still be accepted as alternatives to the options passport. We have some, I know I am preparing samples The instruction will be long, “he said.

According to R. Vainienė, he is scheduled to speak with the police on Wednesday about how the traders will be controlled.

“It just came to our notice then. Strict control is provided for (traders – BNS), it is also provided for strict inspection (passports of opportunity – BNS),” said R. Vainienė.

According to her, merchants still have many questions, for example, is it possible to collect the products ordered online without the possibility of a passport, but if then a person can enter the store, how to secure or separate the flows.

“The next thing is the stores that operate in the supermarkets. The inspection will be carried out by the supermarket, and then the control authority will inspect the stores, who is responsible, either the store where they find it without a passport or the supermarket, ”said R. Vainienė.

“How the employees who enter the supermarket through the same entrance and are with the results of the test but without the passport of opportunity, what, will the certificate be reviewed? What to do if a person is discovered with a false opportunity passport, how to deal with those who will say that I have a passport from the Republic of Lithuania and what you still need. There are many questions, ”he said.

However, according to the merchant representative, the most feared is the conflict and chaos that can arise when reviewing passports of opportunity.

R. Vainienė also stated that the new rules may affect the entire supply chain: merchants are already reducing order volume.

“As traffic flows are redistributed, merchants reduce their orders accordingly and anticipate that they will not be completely redistributed to their store, but to others, and redistributed in favor of imports rather than locals,” he said .

“I have heard signals from suppliers that merchants are reducing order volume,” said R. Vainienė.

Norfa will check the passports in the boxes, others are still considering

One of the major chains in Norfa has already decided to verify passports at checkouts, while other retail chains are still considering implementing the new rules.

“Opportunity passports will be applied at store checkouts where required by law. (…) Apparently it was very convenient, management decided,” Darius Ryliškis, a Norfa representative, told BNS.

According to him, this is likely to slow down the work a bit, because the inspection will take time.

At the time, Vaida Budrienė, Iki’s communications director, told BNS that it was still being decided how this requirement would be implemented.

“We are considering both technological solutions and greater involvement of human resources so that our customers can shop comfortably and safely,” said V. Budrienė.

Maxima is also considering how to proceed. According to Ernesta Dapkienė, director of the Company’s Communication and Image Department, optimal solutions are sought so that neither employees nor customers experience significant difficulties.

Gabriė Šerėnienė, a representative for Rimi, said that new rules are being prepared that will affect all 72 online stores.

“When implementing the mandatory requirements, we will take into account the dates provided in them and communicate the relevant information about them to buyers once all the details have been gathered,” he said.

While some companies already serve customers with just passports of opportunity, retail chains do not plan to do so before it becomes mandatory.

Starting September 13, most services will only be available to those who have acquired immunity after a vaccine or illness, or who have a negative PCR test. These individuals can obtain an opportunity passport electronically or physically.

Those without a passport will be able to buy only in small ones, up to 1.5 thousand. kv. meters in stores.

There are 152 stores in the Norfa network, of which about a quarter are up to 1.5 thousand. kv. Area meters. Iki has 227 stores, approximately 11 of which exceed 1.5 thousand. kv. meters. There are 75 out of more than 250 in the Maxima network.

At that time, Lidl has 56 stores in Lithuania, with an average area of ​​around 1.4 thousand. kv. meters.