Restrictions 'will put 60,000 retail jobs at risk' 

Retail Ireland said a closure of 'non-essential' shops would be 'a massive blow' to a sector still recovering from lockdown earlier this year

St Patrick's St, Cork. The shutdown of non-essential retail outlets will 'seriously curtail' the Christmas shopping season

Tightened social restrictions aimed at stemming the spread of Covid-19 will put a further 60,000 retail jobs at risk, according to industry groups, which have also warned that many retailers are depending on the pre-Christmas trading period just to survive.

Already 30,000 retail jobs have been lost since the Covid crisis hit Ireland in March. Warning of a further “devastating impact”, industry group Retail Excellence said all retail should be classed as “essential”.

It said the number of positive Covid cases linked to retail environments has been “minimal”, shops have strictly followed government advice and guidelines and invested in ensuring their premises are safe. It said closing shops again will “seriously curtail” the Christmas shopping season and further move consumer spending overseas via online shopping.

Retail Excellence said a clear roadmap and reopening strategy is needed and that all ‘click and collect’ and e-commerce options should remain open and unrestricted to the public.

Customers need ready access to the products they require on a regular basis

Ibec group Retail Ireland said a closure of “non-essential” shops would be “a massive blow” to a sector still recovering from lockdown earlier in the year. Those retailers with no developed online offering will particularly struggle, it warned.

“No other European country is actively looking at the level of nationwide retail restrictions currently being considered for Ireland,” said Retail Ireland director Arnold Dillon.

“Covid is going to be with us for some time and customers need ready access to the products they require on a regular basis," he said.

“The retail sector has radically transformed how it operates, with face masks, social distancing and other hygiene measures, to ensure a safe and highly controlled environment for customers and staff. With only a fraction of Covid clusters linked to retail settings, it is crucial that policymakers set out the risk assessment that has informed this decision and a strategy for unwinding any measures introduced," Mr Dillon said.

A 12% jump in grocery sales, in the last month, suggests people have already started preparing for having to spend more time at home.

People spent €100m more on groceries in the last four weeks compared to the same period last year, according to consumer research company Kantar Worldpanel.

This was despite grocery prices rising by 1.8% over the 12 weeks to the start of October.

“We expect to see a further boost in spend as restrictions tighten,” said Kantar retail analyst Emer Healy.

The Irish Hotels Federation said additional Covid restrictions will create further difficulties and uncertainties for hotels and guesthouses that are already facing enormous challenges.

It warned the tourism and hospitality sector could see tens of thousands of employees laid off "in the coming days.”

New official figures showed the number of people on the PUP rose in the past week by 15,295 to 244,153.

In early May, there were 600,000 people on the PUP alone, accounting for around half of the 1.2 million in receipt of some sort of support from the public purse during the worst of the last lockdown.