Tighter rules around essential stores that can open in lockdown

The Dutch government is tightening the rules around essential stores that can remain open during the hard lockdown. Only shops that mainly sell food, drugstore items, and animal nutrition can be open between now and January 19, NOS reports.

"Mainly" in this case means stores that get more than 70 percent of their sales from essential products. This is based on the situation before the hard lockdown that started on Tuesday, and is based on a specific location or branch, not an entire chain. That means that there may be differences between branches.

The government decided to tighten these rules after outrage among small entrepreneurs and a part of parliament on Wednesday morning, when chains like Hema and Action were allowed to open to sell essential products.