Full list of new supermarket rules for shoppers under second lockdown

4 November 2020, 10:31 | Updated: 4 November 2020, 11:28

New supermarket rules for Tesco, Asda, Aldi and Sainsbury's ahead of lockdown in England.

England will be plunged into a second lockdown from Thursday, with ‘non essential’ shops across the country forced to close.

Supermarkets will remain open, but many have brought in new rules and rationing to keep customers safe.

Here’s what the updated rules are for shoppers and buying limits you need to be aware of.

Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury's has asked people to shop alone where possible to reduce the number of people inside its stores.

This means couples will no longer be allowed to shop together and families should only enter if children are not able to stay at home.

A message on the Sainsbury's website reads: "We have limited the number of people in our stores and at our ATMs at any one time.

"We have also put queuing systems in place outside stores and ask you to queue at a safe distance of two metres apart.”

There are also mandatory face coverings, unless you're exempt, and hand sanitising stations across the stores.

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Tesco

Tesco currently has a ’traffic light’ system in some of their larger stores to help manage the flow in and out.

There are also social distancing markings, as well as hand sanitiser and cleaning stations around stores.

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Tesco has also brought back some limits on the items you can purchase.

There's a limit of three per person on:

- Flour

- Dried pasta

- Toilet roll

- Baby wipes

- Anti-bacterial wipes

Online restrictions include:

- Face coverings

- Eggs

- Flour

- Anti-bacterial products

- Some rice and canned veg

Asda

Customers must wear face coverings while in store unless they are exempt, and Asda Safety Marshals are now stationed at the front of every store and in the aisles of larger stores.

Additionally, those marshals stationed at the store entrance will provide sanitised baskets and trolleys to customer as they enter the store.

Additional hand sanitisation stations have also been put around the stores, while antimicrobial handles have been applied to all basket and trolley handles.

Aldi

Aldi also has a traffic light queuing system operating to manage shopper numbers and is advising customers to avoid busy times, which is usually 11am-3pm.

They are advising people to do their shopping alone, while there are perspex screens at tills.

Lidl

While Lidl has no product restrictions in place, bosses are asking shoppers to avoid busy times, usually between 8am and 11am.

They also have marshals at the doors to limit entry at busy times.

Waitrose

Waitrose has dedicated marshals managing queues and making sure customers keep a safe distance apart.

There are also hand sanitising stations at store entrances, while they are encouraging cashless payments.

Waitrose has recently announced limits on toilet rolls and hand sanitiser.

A spokesperson told Country press: "We are holding good stock levels in all key product areas and we would like to reassure customers that there is no need to worry about buying more than they need.

"To ensure that customers can get what they need we've set a purchase limit on a small number of items including toilet rolls and hand sanitiser for purchases online and in our shops."

The list also includes dried pasta, flour, eggs and disinfectant.

Morrisons

As of September, Morrisons reintroduced its queuing systems complete with safety marshals.

Morrisons has now began rationing a range of items, including toilet roll, bleach, disinfectant and soap, with customers only allowed to buy three of each product at once.

There is also a limit on sales of larger packs of flour, rice and oil, which are sold in its world foods aisle.

A spokesperson for the supermarket told The Independent: “We are introducing a limit on a small number of key products, such as toilet roll and disinfectant.

“Our stock levels of these products are good but we want to ensure that they are available for everyone.”

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