Tesco shoppers left furious after ‘non-essential’ items are blocked off during lockdown

Angry shoppers have taken to Twitter to complain about not being able to buy clothes – including baby clothes – in supermarkets where alcohol is still available.

Shops in England that have ‘sufficiently distinct parts’ were told they needed to close areas selling non-essential items as part of the latest guidance for the lockdown.

Due to the new restrictions, shoppers have struggled to get access to baby clothes and socks.

One shopper wrote on Twitter: “Disappointed to see after the uproar of blocking off clothing, toys, homeware etc sections in one of your stores in Wales, you’ve now done this in your Streatham Extra store.”

Another said: “I can buy booze, but, not a kettle or underwear.”

A Tesco spokesperson said: “In line with new Government guidance in England which requires the closure of separate floors selling non-food items, we have closed the Clothing and General Merchandise departments in our stores that sell these products from a separate mezzanine level.”

The government’s guidance reads: “Where a business has sufficiently distinct parts, and one section provides essential retail and one section provides non-essential retail, the non-essential sections should close to limit interactions between customers and the opportunity for the disease to spread.

“For example a food shop may stay open, but a homeware section on a separate floor or separate building should close.”