The government is working out recommendations for shopping centers so that in the event of a worsening epidemiological situation, they can remain open. This was announced to Izvestia by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Economic Development. The Russian Council of Shopping Centers (RSTC) asked the officials not to stop the activities of the malls. The organization turned to the head of the Ministry of Economy, Maxim Reshetnikov, with a corresponding proposal.
Restrictive measures during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic have negatively impacted the trade industry. According to RSTC estimates, by September the direct losses of each shopping center will reach 80-100 million rubles. The new quarantine will find them in a bloodless state.
In such a situation, if the shopping centers are closed even for a short time, they may not survive the second wave. As a result, mall employees will lose their jobs, people – places for shopping and entertainment, said Inessa Samokhvalova, managing partner of ITD Properties.
Therefore, the RSTC turned to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade with a request to revise the current sanitary standards so as not to close the shopping center in the event of a worsening epidemiological situation. Izvestia got acquainted with a copy of the document.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade told Izvestia that the department, together with Rospotrebnadzor, is considering the possibility of maintaining the operation of all stores, including malls, in the event of a worsening epidemiological situation.
The Ministry of Economic Development sent an appeal to Rospotrebnadzor about the possibility of developing recommendations for organizing the work of non-food enterprises in conditions of high alert (or emergency), which will allow not to close the shopping center, the department told Izvestia.
Read more in the exclusive material of Izvestia:
Remedy for malls: authorities allow shopping centers to operate during second wave