as others have said what is essential to one, is not essential to others, a birthday card can be an essential item no? not everyone especially in the older generation is ready for Moonpig

tbf if Leeds did take it more seriously where did it all go wrong, you are Tier 3 right?

No birthday cards are not essential. And no Leeds is tier 2, you should pop in sometime, see how lock down should be done.

Not true at all I'm afraid, there was none of this taping off sections anywhere - if you came under 'essential retailer' you were able to sell your whole range of products

We are Tier 2 also so looks like taping off non essentials in Leeds made no difference to the eventual outcome of where you ended up

You can put all the restrictions in place you like but if the public don’t get on board or understand/or don’t care how the infection is spread they are pointless

The decision is now under review

They have Stated because only Food shops are open
all other shops have had to close,
so because big Supermarkets sell clothes
like the Stores they have Closed in
the 2 week Lockdown
it's only fair.

The Latest from Wales Gov., is they now doing a review
on all this.

why are people worried about cards? get a bit of card or paper and make one if it's that important.

people are telling the authorities what they will accept in terms of restrictions, and this is just an example of that, but it's happening in many applications.

The authorities cannot enforce something that the people don't want, after all, they are there to represent the people, and when the vast majority of people feel they have gone too far they either acknowledge it or risk anarchy. That's how democracy works

Tesco have taped off things like clothes and books but they are still selling greetings cards and stationery. There's basically been no clear guidance about what's essential and what isn't so retailers are fumbling around in the dark a bit and just taking their lead from each other

Am fuming about all this. I love to get a good book for example when I go to the supermarket. Its ridiculous. You are there in the store. What difference does it make what you buy? Ffs.

It’s only happening in Wales Kate as they are in full lockdown

Oh I see Cherie. Well in principle it's still ridiculous. Poor people of Wales. X

The first time round there ended up being arguments over ludicrous things like whether the confectionery aisle should be closed off, because "chocolate is non essential" :facepalm:.

Honestly, they should just open up a big vat of protein & vitamin fortified oat gruel in the car park and hand out bowls because if you keep chipping away at it - nothing else is actually "essential". Fortified gruel and tap water for all.

Are you calling me a liar?.. I can assure you that during the national lock down there were 2 supermarkets I shop in that restricted what was shopped for. In tesco the make up stands were shuttered off and in Morrisons they removed the tupperware and cookware for more essential items.

Some things might have been taken off sale if they were the types of items that a lot of people would touch or test out etc but there was no legal requirement preventing any essential retailer from selling any of their ranges

Removing some products to give more space to essential items would just be a commercial decision

It may have been at the managers discretion who knows?

To be fair we are surrounded by Pendle, Lancashire, Sheffield, Doncaster and Barnsley who are all tier 3 so we must be doing something right.

Just been to asda and they have only blocked off the clothes, toys and entertainment stuff. Books and cards were still on sale.

I don't really get the DVD's and games beingoff sale personally because we buy them to keep us inside don't we?

Your local supermarkets might have decided to be dumb off their own back, but that's doesn't mean there was any national mandate for supermarkets to stop selling essentials... Just a little cluster of overzealous local managers in your area (probably taking cues from each other).

I can assure you that you could still buy socks at 99% of UK supermarkets back in April.

It really is just pushing more and more traffic in an online direction... More people will use Netflix/Prime for movies, PlayStation Store/Steam for game purchases, and physical items will come from Amazon etc.

The way things are going, physical retail will end up being for purely food/basic household items like cleaning products, bin bags and laundry detergent and ALL other retail will move online.

I suppose things have been heading that way for a few years anyway but this will massively speed it up.

Who said rhere was? I just said many will be used to having many things restricted like they wereally in spring..

Shoplifting is easy these days...I'm tempted.

I usually go to Pundland and they sell everything as usual.

We all need warm novelty slippers in the coming weeks, you are very wise vanessa.

At the moment I'm doing my food shopping online, so much easier this way.
I only go to shops for clothes/shoes.

I went to Punland to get my dog a new nose

He smelt terrible