Retail Excellence has called for the immediate reintroduction of click and collect services, warning that the current classification of essential and non-essential retail goods is 'fast becoming obsolete'.
Ahead of Government talks this week regarding the potential easing of restrictions on 5 April, Duncan Graham, managing director of Retail Excellence, said, “Retailers large and small are frustrated and angry at the complete lack of clarity from the Government on a reopening plan for retail."
“The length and scale of this lockdown now means that the lines between essential and non-essential retail are completely blurred, and the classification as it currently stands is fast becoming obsolete. Click-and-collect can help solve this issue: it is also safe, does not lead to the mass movement of people as it is largely confined to local shopping, and it provides a much-needed lifeline for businesses, particularly SMEs, who are in dire need of assistance.”
'Matter Of Urgency'
He said that the Government could no longer stand over its original classification of retail goods.
“How can you tell a parent whose child has outgrown their clothes and shoes that these goods are not essential? The Government needs to address this issue by reintroducing click-and-collect services as a matter of urgency,” Duncan noted.
He added, “Once click-and-collect services are reintroduced, we must see a defined timeline for the reopening of the industry, which should include appointment-only shopping, the reopening of larger centres such as garden centres and furniture stores, and eventually the full reopening of retail.”
© 2021 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Donna Ahern. Click sign up to subscribe to Checkout.
