News that shops will remain closed comes as "awful blow"

The news that shops will remain closed until at least the beginning of March came as “an awful blow,” says trade association InRetail. “And the damage is already so great.”

Click-and-collect services will most likely be allowed from next week. “That in itself is great news for many entrepreneurs for whom it can be part of the solution,” says Udo Delfgou of InRetail. “But if you also hear that you have to close for another month, that damage is much greater.”

At the bottom of the line, there is no good news today, says Delfgou. According to the trade association, a third of entrepreneurs are seriously struggling to make ends meet.