Starting today there are harsher restrictions in stores, while range of goods and products available at grocery stores has been expanded

RIGA - Starting today, there are harsher restrictions on in-person shopping in stores while he range of goods and products available at grocery stores has been expanded.

The regulation also provides for a new definition of a retail centers: a building of at least 1,500 square meters in area with at least five merchants or service providers. The regulations refer also to indoor markets

Effective Monday, February 8, all retail outlets will have to introduce the "safe shopping" concept, according to amendments to the Regulation on Epidemiological Safety Measures for the Containment of the Spread of Covid-19 Infection. Under the amendments, stores will have to ensure at least 25 square meters per customer and admit visitors into the store one by one, except for persons accompanied by a guide and children under the age of twelve who may be accompanied by one adult.

The number of shopping baskets and shopping carts in a store must not exceed the maximum number of customers allowed in the store.

Store owners or managers will have to ensure that the maximum permissible number of customers at the store is not exceeded and that customers enter the store one by one. The same requirements will also apply to market pavilions.

All retail outlets will have to appoint a person responsible for implementation of epidemiological safety measures at the outlet.

In-person shopping is allowed only at those stores where food products make up at least 70 percent of all goods and products available at the store, as well as stores where hygiene products make up at least 70 percent of all products available at the store. Also bookstores will be open.

As earlier,  people may shop also in pharmacies, including veterinary pharmacies, optical goods stores and fuel stations.

The range of available goods has been expanded, including seeds, seedlings, bulbs, tubers, as well as substrata, fertilizers, liming materials and plant protection products, electrical accessories such as wires, extension cords and chargers in the list of available goods.