Sainsbury’s reveals new limit on number of customers in stores

SAINSBURY’S has slashed the number of customers allowed in stores by up to 35% as supermarkets ramp up Covid rules in stores.

The number of customers in store has reduced by 25% to 35% in every store over the last few days after the supermarket announced a raft of Covid measures to step up efforts to beat the virus.

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Ministers told councils earlier this week to place limits on the number of people allowed into shops Credit: PA:Press Association

This means shopper numbers are at their lowest level since the pandemic started.

In an update to customers yesterday, Sainsbury’s chief executive said the supermarket has “significantly reduced” the number of customers allowed in stores.

After announcing the store will bring in security guards to enforce mask laws, he added: “We have also significantly reduced the number of customers allowed in our stores at any one time to ensure social distancing is maintained at all times.”

The ramping up of Covid rules comes as ministers told local councils earlier this week to place limits on the number of people allowed into shops at any one time.

This is because of growing fears they could become hotspots for the virus.

Scientists blamed a lack of social distancing in stores for the rapid spread of the super-infectious new strain.

Aldi also changed its traffic light system last week to reduce the number of customers allowed in store at any one time.

Under the system, the doors open when the traffic light (located at shop entrances) signals green, meaning shoppers can enter the store.

The cap on customers varies according on the size of the store.

While some supermarkets have toughened up on customer numbers in stores, shoppers have taken to social media to urge other supermarkets to follow suit.

One took to Twitter to tweet that the “sheer volume” of customers in their local shops is “insanity”.

“They should limit people like in the first one,” they added.

Another said: “Supermarkets need to do more to protect staff/customers.

“Stop whole families shopping together like it’s a day trip, limit numbers, put [in] one way system, enforce masks.”

Customers took to Twitter to urge supermarkets to limit numbers in storeCredit: Twitter

One customer said she would feel "safer" if supermarkets put greater limits on the number of customers allowed in store — One customer said she would feel “safer” if supermarkets put greater limits on the number of customers allowed in storeCredit: Twitter

Some people felt strongly about supermarkets reducing shoppers allowed in storeCredit: Twitter

One shopper tweeted that she wished supermarkets would introduce greater limits on people in stores.

“Lining up during lockdown 1 helped,” she said. “We felt at least a little safer knowing that there were less people in store.”

While many supermarkets have not announced whether they will be limiting shopper numbers in store further, the majority have been ramping up Covid rules.

Aldi, Morrisons, and Tesco have banned shoppers who refuse to wear face masks in their stores.

Morrisons customers who arrive at their local store without a mask will be offered one free of charge by staff.

But if they refuse to wear one, they won’t be allowed to enter stores.

Asda told The Sun it already had a no mask, no entry policy in place, which was introduced in June.

Iceland said that security guards are stationed across 330 of its busiest stores, and are continuing to monitor shopper numbers in store.

It has no plans to change its shopper limit rules in place.

The store told The Sun it has had “maximum customer limits in place” since the start of the pandemic last year.

These customer limits vary according to the size of the store and said it could not state what the average cap on customers is.

Waitrose said it has not changed its social distancing policy since the first lockdown.

The store says it has measures in place so customers can keep a greater distance away from each other than the two metre rule advised by the government.