Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply, Tariq Hammouri, decided to allow grocery stores, with an area over 200 square meters, to sell directly to citizens, as of tomorrow, in accordance with the terms and conditions that guarantee public safety.

The decision was made with the aim of enabling citizens to purchase their needs of food supplies and to reduce crowding in shops that are currently operating, Hammouri said Sunday in a statement.

The decision was also made in preparations for the holy month of Ramadan, which usually sees an increase in demand for various food commodities, he added.

The decision came after the approval of the Business Continuity Team and the Epidemiology and Public Health Committee to ensure the provision of goods to citizens with full adherence to the procedures for compliance with public health and safety and in accordance with the requirements of Guide (5), which includes working procedures for safety and health protection measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus, which must be applied in commercial centers and supermarkets for the sale of food supplies with an area over 200 square meters, as well as the adherence to the provisions of Guide (6) of working procedures for the safety and health protection measures used to limit the spread of the virus.

Hammouri said that according to the decision, these stores are allowed to work and sell directly to citizens from 10am until 6pm, and the process of citizens entry to be organized according to the area of these stores and allowing the shopping in these stores by one citizen per 40 square meters, that is, if the area of the shop is 400 square meters, and only 10 citizens are allowed to shop at the same time.

These shops will be required to adhere to the necessary procedures to ensure public safety, which includes staff crews, shopping spaces, sterilization operations, and the use of public health and safety supplies.

The Minister stressed that these stores should pledge to continue the work of home delivery through e-sales from 6am until 6pm, as follows:

20 percent of total sales at opening.
25 percent within a week of opening.
35 percent within a month of opening.

Hammouri underlined that the Ministry's team will follow up on compliance with the aforementioned percentages, as well as compliance with the requirements of prevention and health safety issued by the Business Continuity Team.

He said that malls are only authorized to open groceries that sell food only, and they are not allowed to open other stores inside, provided that entry to them is from the gates for the sale of food supplies only.