In the near future, consumers will have to expect to queue up before entering a store. The retailers have announced that they are now restricting the number of customers in the store. In doing so, they are fulfilling a measure recommended by the Federal Office of Public Health: Only one customer should shop per ten square meters.
In order to control the number of customers in the shops, employees stand in front of the entrances in some places, count the customers and deny them access when the upper limit is reached.
Hello Nikolas, access control is handled differently depending on the branch. However, the admission cards are cleaned and disinfected regularly, like all other touchpoints in our branches. ^ fs
– Migros (@migros) March 19, 2020
At Migros in Bern’s Lorraine district, customers have only been admitted into the droplet system since Thursday: «The wait was not particularly long. But it takes getting used to, »says a reader reporter to 20 minutes. Customers receive an admission card, which they return when they leave the store. “This is cleaned before and after the customer’s eyes.”
Kärtli system at Migros. Photo: reader reporter 20 minutes
Migros Aare confirms that businesses across Switzerland are currently switching to this system and refers to the Federal Explanatory Notes to Ordinance Two on measures to combat the corona virus.
According to this, the number of people who are allowed to stay in a shop at the same time depends on the area of the shop. “As a guideline, one person per 10 square meters can be assumed,” it says. “At our branches, we are even setting a somewhat stricter value,” says Daniela Lüpold, spokeswoman for Migros Aare.
The regulation is also implemented in Coop stores using a slip system. Since Wednesday, thousands of plexiglass panes have also been installed there to improve the protection of sales staff.
No waiting times yet
When a person comes into the store, the first thing to do is disinfect their hands. Then the customer has to draw a number from a basket. But there are only as many pieces of paper with numbers as people are allowed in the shop. “When all the notes are gone, customers have to wait outside at a stand-alone shop. In shopping centers, on the other hand, customers are waiting in the entrance area, »says Coop spokeswoman Andrea Bergmann at 20 minutes. After shopping, customers return the note to the cash register, it is disinfected and comes back into the basket at the entrance.
So far, there have been no waiting times with this dosing system, says Coop. The retailer introduced this system on Thursday in all around 1,000 supermarkets and in the Coop department stores. If there were queues, Coop appealed to personal responsibility: “People have to keep enough distance in the columns.”
Clean touchscreens regularly
There are no special provisions for retailers with regard to the open sale of food. There is no obligation to use additional packaging or covering material for the goods, «because of an open sale
there is no increased risk of transmission, »writes the federal government.
Likewise, there is no obligation to wear gloves or a mouth mask. This applies to customers and staff alike: “Since such a measure would not help to reduce the transmission risk.”
Droplet system also in a Migros branch in Zurich. Photo: Pascal Unternährer
However, retailers are obliged to regularly clean the handles of shopping baskets or touchscreens used by customers with soap or other cleaning agents.
Just in @migros, great regime now, with limited number of people, handing out gloves etc.
– Jan Flueckiger (@fljan) March 19, 2020
The Retail Interest Group and the Swiss Retail Federation issued a message informing them of the protective measures. Customers should also pay with credit or debit cards instead of cash if possible. Using the self-pay stations also reduces the transmission risk. There are also signal boards for social distancing at the cash registers, which require you to maintain a minimum distance of two meters.
The “Tagesschau” by SRF reported on Wednesday evening that the Bahnhofsapotheke Bern also only allows customers to shop in the droplet system. In addition, all customers have to disinfect their hands here. It also does a pharmacy in Gümligen BE, where customers currently have to accept longer waiting times. “We have at least twice as many customers as usual,” says managing director Andreas Neuenschwander.
The retailers once again emphasize in a letter from Thursday: “The supply of goods is absolutely guaranteed. Hamster purchases are unnecessary. The retail trade appeals to its customers to show solidarity and make sensible purchases. » In Switzerland, only grocery stores, pharmacies and drug stores can keep open.
Federal Council specifies regulation
In order to clarify open questions regarding the implementation, the Federal Council has clarified the explanations for its regulation on combating the corona virus, which was issued on Monday. An overview of the most important points in alphabetical order:
Construction sites: These are not considered publicly accessible and may continue to be operated.
Consultations: The ban does not apply to strictly agreed consulting services for individual customers, for example from insurance agencies and law firms, which take place in non-public offices. Visits by sales representatives to private and business customers are also permitted.
Flower shops: Are now explicitly listed as an example of shops that need to be closed.
Blood donation campaigns: Such are still permitted; they are not considered an event.
Retail trade: Open sales are permitted without additional measures. The handles of sales trolleys and shopping baskets should be cleaned daily with soap or conventional cleaning agents. Touchscreens, which are often used in the self-check-out area, must also be cleaned regularly. As a guideline, one customer may be present for every 10 square meters. In the case of smaller shops, the local conditions have to be taken into account, especially the requirements regarding social distance.
Driving schools: These are now also included in the term “training center”; driving hours are classed as face-to-face events within the meaning of this provision and are therefore prohibited.
Fondue dinner / birthday dinner: Such permitted meals are now no longer mentioned by name in the regulation. The Federal Council understands small-scale events as “small-group dinners”. However, social contacts should be reduced to an absolute minimum.
Dog salons: As they are open to the public, they must also be closed. Dog care services, which also include picking up dogs at meeting points (but not in business premises), may still be offered.
Nurseries: A closure of the crèche by the sponsor would only be an exception if, for example, all carers were sick or other internal reasons made an operation impossible.
Children’s playgrounds: Groups of more than 5 children in parks or other places should be avoided as far as possible. More importantly, parents and other adults do not meet in groups while their children are playing. In any case, contact with particularly vulnerable persons must be avoided.
Food market stall: A single food market stand is on a par with grocery stores and can therefore be operated, but the distance rules must also be adhered to here.
Online trade: In principle, this remains permitted. As far as the delivery of the goods is concerned, they can either be sent to the customer by mail or a pick-up facility is set up, but the business premises must not be entered. Placing an order in business premises is also not permitted.
Religion / belief: Meetings in churches, mosques, synagogues and meetings of other religious communities are not permitted (exception: funerals in close family circles). On the other hand, the regulation does not stipulate that the locations have to be closed. The cantons may regulate the opening hours, but may not close the churches.
Meetings at the workplace: Sessions at the workplace are still allowed. However, the participants must adhere to the rules of hygiene and behavior. The number of meeting participants must be limited. The reference value is around 4 square meters per person. This means: In a 4 x 8 meter meeting room, no more than 8 people should be present at the same time.
Other markets: Slaughter cattle markets, cattle markets and sheep acceptance may not take place.
Social facilities: For example, offers for disabled people, contact points for the homeless or people with addiction problems and disability facilities (dormitories, day care centers and workshops) may be open.
Enforcement: The cantons are now warned not to undermine the Federal Council regulation when implementing central measures. “For example, it would not be permissible if the cantonal law enforcement agencies closed sales outlets for telecommunications providers and grocery stores.” Such stores are explicitly excluded from the facilities to be closed by the federal government.
Laundromats: Fall under daily needs and may remain open.
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(red / SDA)
Created: 3/19/2020, 2:34 PM
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