Petition over banning sale of non-essential items in Wales biggest in the government's history
The Welsh Government says its ban on supermarkets selling non-essential items during the circuit-break lockdown will encourage people to remain at home and not risk spreading the coronavirus.
A petition to overturn a ban on sales of non-essential items over the fortnight has been signed by more than 65,000 people - the biggest in the history of the Welsh Assembly.
Presented to the Senedd the online petition wants ministers to re-think its ruling that the supermarkets can't sell items such as clothes, toys and books until the lockdown ends on November 9.
Howevers ministers yesterday said that stores would have the ability to alter the rules in individual exception cases.
Only food shops and others selling essential items are open during the two-week 'fire break' or 'circuit break' lockdown in Wales.
Wales First minister Mark Drakeford said that the rule had been brought in ensure a level playing field because other stores selling non-essential items would be forced to shut for the entire two-week period.
Supermarket staff had to cordon off or cover over several aisles and shelves, leaving shoppers confused.
Items also include homeware, electrical goods, and garden products.
The petiton reads: "We do not agree that this is a prudent or rational measure, and will create more harm than good.
"We do not agree for example that parents should be barred from buying clothes for their children during lockdown while out shopping. This is disproportionate and cruel and we ask that the decision be reversed immediately."
In a press conference yesterday Health Minister Vaughan Gething said supermarkets were being told that staff could use some discretion to sell non-essentials to those in genuine need.
He said shoppers and retailers should use common sense and sad there would be a very small number of cases where there would be a genuine need to buy a non-essential item in a supermarket.
"For the great majority of us though of course, we will be able to manage for the next two weeks.
This interruption to our lives does cause hardship. But it is being done to avoid the much greater hardship and much greater interruption to people's lives and their ability to still see family and friends in the future," he said.
"This will save lives."
