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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Catherine Murphy & Hilary Mitchell

This is what a trip to Home Bargains is like during lockdown - and what you can buy

Today, Nicola Sturgeon unveiled a framework for gradually easing some - but by no means all - of Scotland's lockdown restrictions to allow the economy to recover, but warned it would not be an easy path, with social distancing measures set to stay in place indefinitely.

The issue of where we can buy food during lockdown, and what measures supermarkets are taking to protect customers, is therefore one that's unlikely to disappear any time soon.

And with most people either working from home, or on furlough, people are visiting the supermarkets more than ever - stockpiling on foods and household essentials.

Tesco, Morrisons, Aldi, Asda and other supermarkets are busier than ever, but they're not the only stores that are open selling foods.

Liverpool Echo writer Catherine Murphy decided to visit her local Home Bargains to do an essential food shop.

Here's how Catherine found her experience:

I visited Home Bargains at around 12.30pm on a Tuesday afternoon and while there was a queue outside it went down really quick.

As I waited, for around 10 minutes (if that), I watched as staff were cleaning each trolley individually and ensuring as soon as one was brought back it was sprayed down straight away.

Customers are allowed in one at a time and there are markings on the floor outside stores so customers know where to queue in order to maintain a two metre distance from each other.

My shopping list was filled with plenty of cleaning products, beauty essentials such as shampoo and conditioner and then household items like teabags, crisps, coffee, chicken, biscuits and fruit.

The first aisle was filled with toiletries and bathroom products and all shelves were well stocked - just looking at them you wouldn't know there was worldwide pandemic going on.

There was a sign under its hand sanitisers and hand soap informing customers there is a limit of two per transaction.

This appeared to be the only restriction still in place at Home Bargains.

Inside the store it was clear the retailer's safety measures were working as the majority of the aisles were empty.

From my list, I managed to get all the toiletry and cleaning products - many items had previously been sold out at other stores.

Cupboard foods were also easy to find in store too however, there was not much choice when it came to its chicken or chilled items.

Limited numbers of each were available and only a small freezer section too.

You can check the location of your nearest Home Bargains store here.

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