Next restarts online sales with two-metre rule imposed at warehouses

Fashion chain is the UK's second-biggest clothing retailer

Next will restart its online operations on Tuesday after temporarily closing in late March due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The clothing retailer posted a statement on its website revealing that customers would be able to shop online again from 14 April after warehouse managers had “successfully tested opening and taking a limited number of orders”.

However, Next has said there are strict measures in place to ensure its warehouse can operate safely and according to social distancing measures.

The measures mean that only a limited number of online orders will be processed at this time.

The statement reads: “In order to operate our warehouse safely, we are limiting the number of warehouse colleagues working at any time, and so we will limit the number of customer orders we can take each day.

“We have successfully tested opening and taking a limited number of orders today. Please come back again tomorrow morning.”

The retailer has also uploaded a video to give shoppers an insight into some of the safety measures in place at its warehouses.

These include: staggered entry, equipment sanitisation, and workers being told to social distance by two metres.

Staff will also wear tabards that are marked on the back with the message, “stay two metres apart”.

The news comes after Debenhams fell into administration earlier this month.

The company’s 165 stores will initially continue to trade but 50 have been earmarked for closure within three to five years, putting around 4,000 jobs at risk.