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Prime Minister Mark Drakeford urged people not to “run to the stores” Saturday night after announcing that the closure would begin at midnight.
Writing on Twitter around 8.25pm, Drakeford said: “Please don’t rush to the shops tonight. As we move to level four in Wales most of the shops will have to close but the supermarkets will be open and it will be possible to click and collect.
“The best gift we can give our loved ones this year is a coronavirus-free Christmas.”
Drakeford announced about three hours earlier that Wales would be closed at midnight and follow level four restrictions.
This will shut down non-essential retail, close contact services, gyms and leisure centers, and hospitality at the end of the day on Saturday.
Stay-at-home restrictions are in effect beginning at midnight.
The Prime Minister also announced changes to Christmas with two households allowed to meet only on Christmas Day instead of the five-day period between December 23 and 27.
But images of large lines had already appeared outside some stores in Wales after the Drakeford announcement.
A queue of traffic could be seen outside Morfa Retail Park in Swansea and queues were also forming outside stores such as Smyths Toys at Capital Retail Park in Leckwith, Cardiff.
Drakeford made the announcement after discussing with representatives of other UK nations. He then held an emergency meeting with his Cabinet on Saturday afternoon about the new strain of coronavirus that is believed to be behind a spike in infections in the UK. You can read his full statement here.
Boris Johnson also announced changes to the restrictions in England. He said that some areas in the south-east of England will move to Level 4 and will effectively revert to the lockdown rules that were seen in England in November.
The rest of England will see the Christmas “bubble” policy, which allows up to three households to meet during the holiday period, severely restricted and will apply only on Christmas Day.
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