Covid: Stricter supermarket rules 'to protect workers' due

Stricter measures to "protect" supermarket workers during the coronavirus pandemic will be announced on Friday, Wales' first minister has said.

It comes after some workers said they faced abuse on a daily basis while challenging rule-breaking shoppers.

Mark Drakeford said abuse of shop workers was "completely unacceptable".

He said the Welsh Government could put into law measures which were currently only guidance.

Wales remains under a level four "stay at home" lockdown, meaning people are only allowed to leave home for essential reasons, including shopping for food.

But there have been growing concerns from shoppers and staff about safety in supermarkets and Mr Drakeford previously said one-way systems and number limits in stores appeared to have broken down.

Some workers have claimed they are seeing shoppers walking around without masks, not using hygiene measures and shopping in large groups.

The Union of Shop Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) had called for the Welsh Government to protect shop workers, saying some had been threatened and spat on.

Mr Drakeford told S4C's Pawb A'i Farn programme: "People working in shops are on the front line, they give us all essential things every day.

"We're working hard with the unions to protect them and to protect everyone else who [isn't] behaving in that way."Tomorrow I'll announce things we're going to do to strengthen things that are in place."

Currently, it is the law for people to wear masks in public indoor spaces, which includes supermarkets and other essential retailers, but a number of other measures are only classed as guidance.

Mr Drakeford previously hinted he wanted to see measures in shops - such as stickers marking 2m (6ft) distances, number limits and one-way systems - return to levels seen back in March during the first lockdown.

He said changes, set to be announced on Friday, could involve putting into law measures surrounding shopping which are currently only guidance.