Corner shops have been ‘wrongly’ told to stop selling Easter eggs as local authorities go overboard with lockdown measures.

Some independent shop owners claim council officers have tried to tell them what they can and can’t sell, including chocolate eggs and hot cross buns, which were considered ‘non-essential’.

But the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) accusedofficials of ‘misreading’ the rules and has now told its members to continueselling the Easter treats as normal.

ACS chief executive James Lowman said local enforcement officers had been ‘interpreting rules in their own way’ and taking ‘incorrect approaches’.

In a statement, Mr Lowman said: ‘The Government have defined which stores can remain open, and that includes convenience stores including newsagents and off-licences.

‘There is no Government definition of which products can be sold within those stores.

For all the latest news and updates on Coronavirus, click here. For our Coronavirus live blog click here.

‘This is overzealous enforcement and a misreading of the rules.’

Government guidelines state that corner shops, newsagentsand supermarkets are allowed to stay open during the pandemic, while businessessuch as barbershops and restaurants should close.

Mr Lowman said: ‘In the cases where officers have challenged retailers and shoppers in this way, it’s brought confusion, distracted retailers in the busiest weeks of their lives, and increased the interactions between people at a time when the Government is trying to minimise them.’

An ACS spokesman said about four convenience stores reported that they had been ‘wrongly’ told by council environmental health officers to stop selling certain items which they deemed as non-essential.

The ACS, which represents more than 33,500 shops, said it had contacted Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards, which confirmed that convenience stores should continue to sell all available products as normal.

Mr Lowman added: ‘We advise any retailer facing this challenge to continue seeking their normal range, and to contact us with the name of the local authority or police force and officer so we can follow up with them.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Coronavirus latest news and updates

• Visit our live blog for the latest updates: Coronavirus news live
• Read all new and breaking stories on our Covid-19 news page
• Coronavirus symptoms explained
• Find out the latest on which shops can stay open in a lockdown
• Who needs to go to work, who needs to stay at home and who is classed as a key worker?

Source: Read Full Article