Retail Excellence has called for the immediate reintroduction of click-and-collect services as it warned that the current classification of essential and non-essential retail goods is "fast becoming obsolete".
Ahead of Government talks regarding the potential easing of restrictions on April 5, Retail Excellence said that retailers are frustrated and angry at the lack of clarity from the Government on a reopening plan for the retail sector.
"The length and scale of this lockdown now means that the lines between essential and non-essential retail are completely blurred, and the classification as it currently stands is fast becoming obsolete," Duncan Graham, Managing Director of Retail Excellence, said.
"Click-and-collect can help solve this issue - it is safe, does not lead to mass movement of people as it is largely confined to local shopping, and it provides a much-needed lifeline for businesses, particularly SMEs, who are in dire need of assistance," Duncan Graham said.
He said that the Government could no longer stand over its original classification of retail goods.
"How can you tell a parent whose child has outgrown their clothes and shoes that these goods are not essential? The Government needs to address this issue by reintroducing click-and-collect services as a matter of urgency," he stated.
The Retail Excellence chief also said that once click-and-collect services are reintroduced, we must see a defined timeline for the reopening of the industry.
He said this should include appointment-only shopping, the reopening of larger centres such as garden centres and furniture stores, and eventually the full reopening of the retail sector.
