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'Non-Essential' Items Covered Up In Welsh Supermarket

'Non-Essential' Items Covered Up In Welsh Supermarket

It comes as the country heads into a two-week lockdown this evening

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

A shopper says he was shocked when he went to his local Tesco and saw that it had covered all 'non-essential' items in plastic sheets under new government restrictions.

Jamie Cole was at a supermarket in Pontypool, Wales, today (23 October) when he spotted the 'intimidating' sight, with duvets, bedding, and electrical goods now banned from being sold.

The 31-year-old said items like these will be 'needed' as winter draws in and the temperature starts to drop.

Jamie, a driver from Pontypool, said: "I was shocked, it's quite bad. Bedding should be available for kids and mothers. We're coming up to winter, it's cold outside, I couldn't believe it.

"I don't have kids of my own but my friend and my sister have kids, she's quite shocked too.

"They rely on Tesco as it's the only supermarket in our town."

Electrical goods and homeware were covered up by plastic sheets.
Kennedy News and Media

This comes as the country heads into a two-week 'fire break' lockdown at 6pm tonight in an attempt to bring down the number of cases and slow the spread of coronavirus.

According to the Welsh Government website, 'non-essential retail' will be closed, but there is no clear list of items specified.

However, Jamie said the products had already been cordoned off this morning, well before the new rules come into effect.

He said: "This was today at 10.49am, the restrictions don't come into effect until 6pm and all the other supermarkets are fine.

"The staff are only following orders, It's happened so quickly. They only announced it at about 7pm last night.

"I'm 30-odd and I've never seen anything like it in my life. You abide by the rules then they do this, it's quite intimidating.

"There was another aisle that was completely closed off too, that was the stationery aisle and electricals.

"If you needed a kettle or phone charger, that aisle was completely closed off.

"I've done a bit of homework and there's no list of essential items on the Wales Government website.

Jamie critcised the supermarket chain for banning the sale before the new rules come into effect.
Kennedy News and Media

"I guess it's the supermarket that decides what items are essential."

Responding to the complaint, a spokesperson for Tesco said the supermarket chain is working hard to comply with the new rules and prepare for them to come into effect.

They said: "Our colleagues across Wales will be working incredibly hard today so we can comply with the Welsh Government's ban on selling 'non-essential' goods to our customers from 6pm this evening."

The nation-wide lockdown will mean that anyone who doesn't work in an essential job will have to stay at home, as with the previous lockdown in March.

All hospitality settings, as well as schools and other public amenities will have to close for the fortnight period, which includes the school half-term holiday and will last for a fixed period until November 9.

Once the two week period has elapsed, Welsh First Minister Drakeford confirmed that primary schools will reopen following the half-term break, but only years seven and eight will return to secondary school at that time.

Featured Image Credit: Kennedy News and Media

Topics: Science, Coronavirus, Politics, Health, Covid-19