Clothing stores were permitted to reopen in England on June 15 after weeks of closure amid the coronavirus lockdown.
Retailers reopening their doors in the days since have been told to work to make shopping as safe as possible, and ensure customers can socially distance in stores to avoid spreading Covid-19.
The Government has provided safety advice for stores to help them adjust to new 'Covid-secure' trading requirements.
The Health and Safety Executive has been given £14 million to support businesses in ensuring stores and workplaces are safe.
So, here's how things have changed:
What measures are clothing stores taking to ensure customer safety?
Reviewing store layouts
Screens or barriers have been put in place to separate people from each other.
Retailers have also been asked to consult local authorities about creating extra parking space and bike racks, where possible, to encourage people to avoid using public transport.
The Government has also encouraged stores to use signage and floor markings to create a one-way flow system through stores.
Limiting number of people in stores
Workers’ arrival and departure times are being staggered to prevent overcrowding.
The number of customers in stores at any time is being limited, with guards on the door, as some supermarkets have done.
Outside queues are being widely used, when possible, as the virus spreads less easily outdoors.
Sanitising materials made available
Many stores have introduced handwashing stations and cleaning materials so customers and staff can clean their hands in-store.
The Government said in order to reopen, shops are expected to have carried out a risk assessment, overseen by local authority staff and the Health and Safety Executive.
As part of that, stores were required to develop hygiene procedures, increasing the frequency of hand-washing and surface cleaning.
Reducing contact
Workers have been urged to avoid facing people by working side to side or back to back when possible.
The use of contactless payment is also being widely encouraged in a bid to reduce the virus spreading from contact with cash or cards.
Fitting rooms used only when necessary
Retailers have been advised to use fitting rooms only when needed, for example when key workers are trying on protective equipment. Customers’ handling of clothes can be limited by using different display methods.
For example, Reiss has said it will operate limited accessibility to fitting rooms, encouraging customers, where possible, to purchase products and try on at home, extending its returns policy to accommodate this.
Returns policies
When handling returned items, there should be as little contact as possible. Returns should also be kept separate from new clothes, to make coronavirus transmission less likely.
