// Morrisons hires door marshals to monitor shopper numbers & remind them to wear face masks
// The grocer reappointed the marshals as it anticipates a second wave
Morrisons has reportedly appointed door marshals for a second time this year to its stores as it prepares for a second wave of Covid-19 infections across the UK.
The Big 4 grocer, which has urged Brits to shop considerately as supermarkets tighten safety measures ahead of the anticipated new lockdown restrictions, is bringing back door marshals to its 494 stores.
After several months break, Morrisons has reinstated marshals to monitor shopper numbers and remind those entering to wear face masks, The Guardian reported.
READ MORE: Morrisons raids Sainsbury’s senior ranks to hire customer & marketing chief
Morrisons operations director Jayne Wall said the company’s additional hygiene measures have been designed to make “customers feel as safe as possible”.
The measures include vending machine-style cleaning stations outside stores and hiring thousands of new cleaners.
In March, during the height of lockdown, UK grocers took immediate action by rationing products such as pasta, toilet roll and flour, after the pandemic caused Brits to stockpile on staple items.
Meanwhile, the BRC has urged shoppers not to change their habits and said retailers have done “an excellent job in ensuring customers have access to the food and necessities throughout this pandemic”.
BRC food and sustainability Andrew Opie said grocers have put in place a range of safety measures but in the event of a second lockdown, consumers should be “considerate and shop for food as they would usually during this difficult time”.
Moreover, the localised lockdowns introduced in recent weeks have not triggered the extreme shopping behaviour experienced during the original national lockdown, according to industry sources.
Big 4 leader Tesco is not currently experiencing product shortages after reporting decent availability both in stores and online.
Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s said it had “good availability of delivery slots”.
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