Wales lockdown: 'Supermarket non-essential goods ban 'fair'
- Published
Stopping supermarkets selling non-essential goods during the firebreak lockdown is about "fairness", Wales first minister has said.
Mark Drakeford insisted any suggestion the decision was based on his own politics was "nonsensical".
It was announced on Thursday supermarkets will not be able to sell items like clothes during the 17-day firebreak.
Retailers said they had not been given a definition of what was essential.
The Welsh Conservatives said businesses and the economy would be hit "very, very hard" by the rule, and Plaid Cymru said communication about what the rule meant was "lacking".
Non-essential items being covered up in supermarkets in Wales. Has it really come to this? pic.twitter.com/YwtIUjgc8P
— Grant Tucker (@GrantTucker) October 23, 2020
Speaking at Friday's Welsh Government briefing, Mr Drakeford said: "The decision is simply based on the need for fair play.
"I'm not prepared to treat small businesses in Wales in one way, requiring them to close - they are not able to earn a living during these two weeks, as part of our national efforts - and then simply because another sector in society are more powerful, are bigger, that they think that they can be treated differently.
"It is a straightforward matter of fairness, we are in this together here in Wales.
"No individual and no organisation is above the effort that we are all required to make."
Mr Drakeford said "many hundreds" of small businesses would be closed across Wales.
"We cannot do that and then allow supermarkets to sell goods that those people are unable to sell," he said.
The aim of the lockdown was to "minimise the amount of time that people spend out of their homes during the two-week period", he said.
"This is not a period to be browsing around supermarkets looking for non-essential goods," he said.
Mr Drakeford defended himself from criticism of the plans saying they were making decisions under "huge pressure."
"We said from the very beginning that non-essential retail would close in Wales," he said. "All we are doing is clarifying that and remaining consistent with that initial decision."
If people could not find essential products in supermarkets there were ways around the problem, he said, adding that friends and neighbours were "often very willing to help".
"There are online ways that people can purchase goods," Mr Drakeford said. "It is not a problem without a solution."
Asda said it had been given "little time to implement these changes or clarity on what is deemed 'essential'" and had "expressed our deep concerns about the implications for customers accessing products they genuinely need".
Tesco said it would work "incredibly hard" to comply with the Welsh Government's rules.
Senedd Conservative leader Paul Davies said: "It shouldn't have come to this in the first place.
"We believe that introducing this temporary national lockdown is disproportionate and will actually hit businesses and hit the economy very, very hard, and therefore in our view obviously independent retailers should be allowed to open as well."
Plaid Cymru health spokesman Rhun ap Iorwerth claimed Welsh Government communication was lacking.
"I think that's been the story throughout this pandemic," he said.
"I've been arguing on behalf of businesses in my constituency back in May, June, July, give us plans, give us an idea of what is ahead.
"This firebreak needs to be a reset for the way government communicates these messages."
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiKmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy91ay13YWxlcy01NDY2Mjc5NdIBLmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy9hbXAvdWstd2FsZXMtNTQ2NjI3OTU?oc=5
2020-10-23 13:57:00Z
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