German supermarket cgain Aldi has relaxed restrictions on the number of items shoppers can purchase in store during the coronavirus pandemic.

Last month, the budget supermarket chain announced that it would be implementing limits on the amount of any one item shoppers were allowed to purchase in-store.

This policy was designed to prevent stockpiling among shoppers, ensuring everyone could access what they needed during the UK's coronavirus lockdown period.

Braintree and Witham Times: SHOPPING: Inside an Aldi supermarket. Picture: AldiSHOPPING: Inside an Aldi supermarket. Picture: Aldi

What are the new limits on items?

However, as of March 31, Aldi has decided to ease some of the temporary restrictions previously put in place.

From now on, customers will only be limited to purchasing four units of the following products:

  • Antibacterial wipes
  • Hand wash and soap
  • Shower gel
  • Bleach
  • Toilet tissue, kitchen towel, tissues
  • Nappies
  • Pasta
  • Canned tomatoes, canned beans and sausages
  • Part baked bread
  • Beers, wines and spirits

Baby formula, antibacterial hand gel and UHT milk will be limited to two units per customer. 

The supermarket chain says that product availability in-store is currently good, and that this new easing of restrictions will make it easier for people to shop on behalf of vulnerable people and those who are self-isolating.

In spite of this easing of restrictions, the supermarket chain says it would still like to encourage shoppers to only purchase what they need.

What other coronavirus measures have supermarkets put in place? 

Alongside limits on the number of items shoppers can purchase, Aldi has also introduced other measures to keep customers and staff safe and minimise risk of viral transmission.

Across all its UK supermarket branches, for instance, protective screens will be installed at tills to protect staff and customers from droplet transmission of coronavirus.

This policy is also being implemented by several other supermarkets.

The majority of UK supermarkets will also be enforcing social distancing between shoppers and staff, with policies ranging from using marshals to do this, to placing markings on the floors to tell customers where to stand safely.

Other protective measures implemented by supermarkets include cleaning regularly-handled equipment, such as trollies, and offering dedicated shopping hours to NHS staff and vulnerable customers.