Primark's new rules for when stores reopen

Shops will be allowed to welcome back customers in England from June 15

Major High Street clothes retailer Primark has revealed what its new rules be when stores are allowed to reopen after June 15.

On Monday Boris Johnson announced that clothes retailers can open their doors to customers again in the middle of next month.

Primark has not confirmed what date it will start to reopen shops, but it has set out what the rules for staff and customers will be, Manchester Evening News reports.

The latest Government guidance for reopening clothes shops includes closing fitting rooms and ensuring clothes which have been touched or tried on by customers are taken off sale for up to 72 hours.

A Primark spokesman said: "Nothing matters more to us than the health and wellbeing of our employees and customers. That is why we will only re-open our stores in the UK once we are convinced that it is safe and right to do so.

"We are closely following all safety advice from government and will treat this as the minimum standard across all our stores.

"We will put in place rigorous health and safety measures including a strict social distancing protocol, providing personal protection for employees and customers and increased in-store cleaning.

"Of course, this is uncharted territory for us and our high street neighbours, which is why we will continuously monitor our re-openings and our health and safety policies to ensure we are doing the best we can to help protect our people and customers, as we all continue to adapt to the new normal.”

The retailer has now laid out its plans to ensure that staff and shoppers are kept safe when stores do reopen.

A strict social distancing protocol:

• Limits on the number of customers allowed in store at any one time to allow for the appropriate distance in between customers and employees, following local government guidelines
• Clear signage and floor decals, as well as dedicated employees and additional security staff, to guide customers through the store in a way that limits contact with others.
• Every second till will be closed to allow more space between customers and employees.

Personal protection for employees and customers :

• Hand sanitiser will be made available at the entrance and on the shop floor and back of house for employee and customer use. Face masks and gloves will be made available to employees if they wish to use them.
• Perspex screens have been installed on tills to protect customers and employees.

Increased in-store cleaning :

• The frequency and rigour of store cleaning will both increase, particularly around high-frequency touchpoints such as tills, escalators, lifts, and employee areas in back of house.