TOWN'S NUMBER ONE RETAILER LEADS WAY BY ASKING ALL COLLEAGUES TO COMPLY FROM TODAY

MEANWHILE, GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES NEW PRODUCTION LINES TO MAKE MILLIONS OF MASKS FOR THE PUBLIC 'WITHOUT PUTTING ADDITIONAL PRESSURE ON NHS SUPPLY CHAIN'

ATHERSTONE'S number one retailer is sending a "clear and consistent" message to staff by asking them to wear face coverings from today ahead of the Government's nationwide mandate later this week.

Central Co-op says it is leading the way for in-store safety measures in its food and funeral businesses across North Warwickshire – setting the pace during these uncertain times as the country eases lockdown restrictions.

The retailer, which has more than 400 outlets across 16 counties, told Nub News all of its colleagues will be wearing a mask or visor from Monday.

Customers will be expected to follow Government guidance, which kicks in this Friday, when visiting one of its businesses.

All colleagues will wear a face covering or visor while at work to ensure everyone plays their part in staying safe and healthy.

Central England Co-op chief executive Debbie Robinson said: "Nothing is more important to us all than the health and safety of our colleagues and customers.

"Ahead of the official start date of July 24 for customers to wear face coverings in shops, we will be asking colleagues to do so from today –to ensure the message is as clear and consistent as possible for everyone.

"Our colleagues have all been supplied with face masks for when they are working and will be playing their part in helping our communities to stay safe.

"We want our colleagues to feel comfortable wearing a face covering for up to eight hours at a time, and so are also ensuring more comfortable face visors are available to those who prefer to wear one.

"Some customers are rightly exempt from this request, for health or religious reasons.

"We have made these exemptions very clear on our website and all team members will be reminded of these important exemptions. Priority access for NHS team members is still in place, to allow these front-line workers to be in our and out of store as quickly as possible.

"So we now ask all of our customers to wear a face covering so we know together we're co-operating in our efforts to be safe."

The new measures on wearing face coverings will sit alongside a range of others already in place at Central England Co-op sites, which have been very well received by customers.

These include:

On entering the shop:

• Prominent markings installed outside stores so customers queuing to enter maintain safe distances of two-metres, as well as messages asking those customers who may have symptoms of Covid-19 not to enter the store; and
• Permanent hand sanitiser stations at the front of all stores and a one-way system in place permanently

While shopping:

• Specialist cleaning products are used to regularly wipe down the countertops and chip and pin machines, ATMs, baskets and trolleys; and
• Clear markings installed throughout stores to communicate two-metre spacing. Customers are asked to maintain these distances while shopping and this is repeated frequently via in-store radio messaging;

At point of payment:

• Special markings installed to showcase two-metre safe distances while queueing;
• Team members are using every other till point or checkout to keep both customers and colleagues a safe distance apart;
• Special markings installed in front of till points and checkouts of at least one metre. If a customer needs to enter this area to place down a basket or use the keypad, colleagues move backwards to maintain a safe distance;
• Customers are asked to pay with card or contactless if possible; and
• More than 1,000 plastic screens at till points and 7,000 face visors issued to staff.

Meanwhile, production of face coverings has begun at two sites across the UK as part of £14 million Government investment in manufacturing millions of coverings each week, a minister has announced. Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said on Monday that suppliers in Port Talbot, Wales, and Blackburn in north west England, had started producing "high quality" face coverings, with another site in Livingston, Scotland, to begin in the coming weeks. Face coverings are already compulsory on public transport in England and the Government has made it mandatory to wear them in shops and supermarkets from July 24 to reduce the spread of coronavirus. Government guidance also encourages the wearing of face coverings in enclosed public spaces where it is less easy to socially distance or where people are more likely to come into contact with people they would not normally meet. Mr Gove said: "This is a major step to ensure that this country can meet any increase in demand for face coverings by working with British firms to establish the capability, capacity and skills required to manufacture these items at scale. "These production lines will be able to get millions of face coverings to the public, without putting any additional pressure on NHS supply chains."