Estonian Traders Association to continue with self-regulation when stores reopen

TALLINN - The Estonian Traders Association said in a press release on Monday that it welcomes the government's decision to open stores from May 3 and reaffirmed that traders would continue to work to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

"The members of the Traders Association have agreed on self-regulatory measures, which we invite all other trading companies to join as well," Nele Peil, CEO of the association, said. "We are highly aware of our responsibility and role in the continued opening of society, and we want to protect both our employees and our customers. We also ask our customers for understanding, to behave responsibly and follow the rules."

The traders have agreed on the following:

1. To include in the internal rules of shopping centers and stores requirements that employees and visitors must wear a mask, to do their best to ensure that employees and visitors wear a mask.

2. That shopping malls may carry out a mask inspection at the entrance to the center or in public areas or service halls, or agree with tenants that the stores will bring attention to the need to wear a mask.

3. To close the seating and play areas in the public areas of the shopping centers, to turn off public WiFi, to do their best to ensure that people do not idly spend time in shopping malls and stores. At the same time, the shopping center retains the right to keep around benches where people can rest their feet or place their bags for a second.

4. To not allow active sales in public areas and tastings in stores.

5. To not run aggressive discount campaigns and other marketing activities lasting a couple of days that would invite people to shop over a short period of time, this does not apply to regular product discounts.

The conditions for self-regulation are valid until the end of May 2021.

According to the Traders Association, large shopping centers are one of the best ventilated premises in Estonia. The floor area for each visitor is 25-50 square meters even during peak hours.

Altogether 72,000 people work in the field of trade, that is every ninth person working in Estonia.