Wales lockdown: Ban on non-essential sales in supermarkets lifted

Welsh Government is taking cautious approach to easing of lockdown

The Welsh Government has warned that if there are strong signs of a growth in infections, relaxations may need to be slowed, paused or reversed (Getty Images)

Wales will see restrictions on non-essential retail begin to lift and garden centres open for the first time this year as the country begins to move out of lockdown.

The ban on supermarkets selling non-essential items, like books and toys, will be lifted on Monday.

Supermarkets were banned from selling any item not deemed essential when Wales entered alert level 4 on Christmas Eve.

They were allowed to continue to sell essential items, such as food. 

Garden centres will also open for the first time this year, marking the first opening of non-essential retail in the country. 

This follows last week’s reopening of hair salons and the return to school for primary school pupils on 15 March. 

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The Welsh government is taking a cautious approach to the easing of lockdown as the highly infectious Kent variant of coronavirus is now the dominant strain in the country. 

It has warned that if there are strong signs of growth in infections, relaxations may need to be slowed, paused or reversed.

Speaking on Friday, Deputy First Minister Mark Drakeford said, in anticipation of the Easter holidays, the “stay local” travel requirement will be lifted on 27 March, “if conditions stay positive.”

This will move Wales from alert level 4 to level 3. 

Also on 27 March, Wales will begin the process of reopening its tourism sector, starting with self-contained accommodation, libraries and outdoor children’s activities.

The government is also looking at potentially opening historic outdoor areas, like parks, depending on conditions.

From 12 April there will be a full return to schools, colleges and other education settings, all shops will reopen and close contact services will resume.

If infection rates remain stable or continue to fall, ministers will decide on 22 April whether to allow gyms and leisure centres, outdoor attractions, outdoor hospitality, weddings and organised indoor and outdoor activities to resume.

Mr Drakeford said: “We are now entering a critical phase in the pandemic.

“We can see light at the end of the tunnel as we approach the end of a long and hard second wave, thanks to the amazing efforts of scientists and researchers across the world to develop effective vaccines.

“Our amazing vaccination programme has made vaccines available to people in the most at-risk groups at incredible speed.”

The plan to ease lockdown will be revisited after every eligible adult has been offered a vaccination, which is scheduled to be by the end of July.

Additional reporting by Press Association