Digital Business Ireland, the leading digital, ecommerce and online business representative body, has called for the Government to re-introduce click and collect services for the retail industry.
The sector has been largely unable to reopen as a consequence of the level five restrictions introduced on December 31. Level 5 restrictions will remain in place until midnight on March 5, prior to which, the government will consider an easing of measures.
“On December 31, government imposed a ban on click and collect for non-essential retail, which was wholly justified in circumstances where there was a need to limit contact to curb the spread of Covid in the new year.
“However, with progress being made in daily diagnosis, now the government must start to make plans to restore click and collect in the coming weeks, as many non-essential retailers are struggling for survival, especially as some of them had invested heavily in warehousing and distribution to meet demand.
“As the festive shopping period approached, businesses across the country implemented systems to ensure people are kept safe while queuing and collecting goods.
“They are already losing out on physical store sales but the continued suspension of having their click-and-collect service banned only exacerbates this.
“The reality is by preventing people using click-and-collect services, this will only harm the viability of many retailers, already suffering under lockdown, as well as severely limiting the choice for some consumers.
“These restrictions are revenue-crushing for businesses and the lack of a plan is disconcerting for many. Businesses operating click-and-collect have taken every reasonable step to make their operations as safe as possible, complying with every twist and turn to government guidance and they are ready to continue these high standards.
“The answer is to introduce even stricter laws around the use of hand sanitisers, face masks, sterilised gloves and more rigorous cleaning of surfaces,” spokesperson for Digital Business Ireland, David Campbell, said.
