Shopping

The big non-food retail stores will be able to open and operate with some more restrictions, announced Minister of Economy Lachezar Borisov.

"I have issued instructions that independent outlets and non-food stores in shopping centers to which there is direct access - entrance from the street or parking lot, can continue their activity, observing the anti-epidemic measures.

This was clarified earlier today by the Deputy Mayor of Belgrade, Mr. Goran Vesic.

New, tougher measures are being introduced, which take effect from Monday and will apply until March 31.

The Executive Director of the Association for Modern Trade Yordan Mateev told BNT that these measures are inadequate.

Serbia will remain "locked down" until Monday. Starting tonight, from 9 p.m. all catering facilities (cafes, restaurants, bars) shopping malls, all shops (not applicable to food and grocery stores), cinemas, museums, galleries, beauty parlors and hairdressing salons, bookmakers, casinos, children's playrooms, gyms, fitness centers, swimming pools, indoor sports halls.

The closure of stores until just a few days ago, fear of crowds and the increasing familiarization of consumers with e-commerce have led many Greeks to continue shopping online.

The market is eager to see all brick-and-mortar stores reopen as early as possible, even if it is with the shopping by appointment system - dubbed "click inside" - that the government appears to be leaning towards at this stage. This may be the only way for retailers to contain massive turnover losses from the months-long lockdowns.

The atmosphere is rather gloomy as last-minute shoppers fill Athens' central market Varvakeios and the neighboring streets ahead of New Year's Day, when Greeks traditionally exchange gifts. Several shops remain closed, and only a few people carry bags, with most pedestrians sticking to just window-shopping.

The new measures are expected to be announced at a press conference at 3 p.m.
Belgrade Deputy Mayor Goran Vesic told the media that at today's session, it was decided that shopping malls, service shops, as well as retail facilities and caterers would be open until 8 pm for the weekend.

The new measures come into force today and will be valid until Friday, December 25, and the competent inspections and the communal militia will strictly control the observance of all measures, the government said in a statement.
Thus, the working hours of shopping malls, clothing stores, bookmakers, casinos and children's playrooms will be until 8 pm from today to Friday.

TV sets at electronics stores may have only been available for window shopping this Black Friday, but despite the forced shutdown of brick-and-mortar shops, this year's promotional event went rather well, according to surveys, giving the market a desperately needed boost.