Coronavirus: Sainsbury's announces new restrictions including limiting the number of people in stores

Chief executive Mike Coupe announced the new restrictions would start today.

Shoppers will now have to queue 2m apart as requested by the government while staff will be on hand to remind people to keep their distance from fellow customers.

A message from Mr Coupe to customers said: ‘Starting today, we will limit the number of people allowed in our stores and at our ATMs at any one time. We are putting queuing systems in place outside stores and will ask everyone to please queue at a safe distance of 2 metres apart.

‘Since we put limits on the number of items people could buy, food and other essential items are on shelves for longer each day so please arrive throughout the day to avoid long queues forming in the morning.

‘We will be reminding people in stores to keep a safe distance from other customers and from our colleagues. Customers buying petrol will be asked to pay at the pump where they can.’

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Mr Coupe also said other changes would be in place.

‘We are reducing the number of checkouts we open in supermarkets, convenience stores and petrol filling stations to help our colleagues and customers keep a safe distance from each other.

‘We are also introducing safety screens at every manned checkout to help keep our colleagues safe when serving customers. We are regularly sanitising all customer areas of our stores including chip and pin machines, baskets and trolleys.’

Meanwhile vulnerable and elderly are struggling to book online delivery slots after being overwhelmed with requests.

Mr Coupe added: ‘Many of you have written to me to tell me you are elderly or vulnerable and are struggling to book online delivery slots. We are doing our absolute best to offer online delivery slots to elderly, disabled and vulnerable customers.

‘These customers have priority over all slots. Our customer care line has been inundated with requests from elderly and vulnerable customers – we have had one year's worth of contacts in two weeks.’