PLAYSTATIONS, Xboxes and kids’ toys have been blocked off by boxes of beer at Welsh supermarkets as “non-essential” items are banned again.
Shoppers in Wales were left outraged after supermarkets cordoned off items deemed “non-essential” by the government during lockdown.
Toys and video games were blocked off to shoppers with boxes of Corona, Amstel, Budweiser and Stella Artois beer at an Asda supermarket in Cardiff today.
Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford announced over the weekend that the country would be plunged into a Tier 4 lockdown to stop the spread of Covid.
The decision was made amid fears that the mutation tearing through the South East of England was behind a spike in cases.
Pictures also showed large swathes of a Sainsbury’s in Pontypridd blocked off – but the stores insisted this was “in line with the Welsh government’s guidance”.
ANGRY SHOPPERS
Supermarkets sparked fury during Wales’ fire-breaker lockdown in October after barricading non-essential items including clothes and stationery.
With Christmas looming, shoppers took to Twitter to slam the new blockades with many unable to buy electronics or baby clothing as festive gifts.
One wrote to First minister Mark Drakeford: “You made a statement to the children of Wales that Santa will still be able to visit.
“Please don’t stop supermarkets from selling non-essential items so that parents that still need to can buy Christmas presents. Not everyone can online shop.”
Other pictures show the clothing section of Tesco in Pontypridd closed to customers.
NEW RESTRICTIONS
First Minister Mark Drakeford announced new ‘stay at home’ restrictions on the weekend.
He said: “Unfortunately, we must also look again at the arrangements for Christmas – we cannot expose people to the risk of this new, more virulent strain of coronavirus.
“We will therefore change the current rules, which allow two households to come together to form a Christmas bubble over a five-day period, so that they will apply on Christmas Day only.
“Throughout the Alert Level 4 period, a single person household will be able to join with one other household.
“While we all want to avoid further disruption to businesses and plans for Christmas, our overriding duty is to protect lives here in Wales.”
He added: “We know that 2021 will be a different and a better year.
“Our economy will recover. Christmas will come again.”
The decision comes amid a surge in infections in Wales, with the latest figures showing a case rate of 592.3 cases per 100,000 people based on the seven days up to December 14.
