Covid: Tesco Talbot Green 'failed to stop non-essential sales'

A Tesco spokesman said its Talbot Green Extra shop was "now complying"

A Tesco store has been told to do more to put non-essential items out of the reach of customers.

Council officers said they saw adult clothing for sale at the Rhondda Cynon Taf store on Monday and shoppers "pushing past" stands to get to restricted aisles were not stopped.

Rhondda Cynon Taf council said restricted goods should be removed from sale or adequately blocked off.

A Tesco spokesman said its Talbot Green Extra shop was "now complying".

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Under current lockdown measures only essential items should be sold, with Welsh Government guidelines stating: "In large supermarkets, in most cases it will be clear that certain sections of the store must be cordoned off or emptied, and closed to the public."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the council said inadequate measures were taken to control customer access to aisles selling only restricted goods, and the shop's seasonal goods aisle was "unnecessarily re-stocked with restricted goods."

The authority said there were limited signs to explain some of those goods could not be sold.

Goods blocked off

Toys were also seen to be easily accessible.

Tesco was handed a council improvement notice after the visit, meaning measures- such as cordoning off aisles of non-essential items such as clothes and toys - had to be taken by the end of Thursday.

The council also said, where possible, restricted goods should be removed from sale or blocked off with sheeting, tape or barriers.

The responsibility for not selling certain items could not be passed to customers and had to be managed by the shop, the council said.

A spokesman for Tesco said: "We are now complying with the requirements of the notice that has been issued, and hope to see it rescinded imminently.

"We were extremely surprised to receive an improvement notice for our Talbot Green Extra store, as this store was inspected previously during the level four restrictions, and at that time, with similar measures in place, it was found to be compliant with the rules on non-essential sales."