New restrictions: the return of queues in front of shops

Last-minute purchases promise to be more complex as reductions in maximum capacity return to businesses in the province. Already on Monday, queues were stretching in front of some stores in malls and in front of supermarkets such as Costco.

• Read also: New restrictions: Pubs and schools are now closed

Security guards, capacity counters and queues were back in shops, with customer volumes now down 50%.

At the Galeries de la Capitale, popular Christmas gift shops such as bookstores, jewelry stores and toy stores almost had a line of customers having to wait.

Sometimes buyers who were in a hurry might turn back when they saw the wait, but overall everything was going well.

For traders, such actions obviously mean certain commitments, but we have been somewhat resigned. It must be said that these more stringent standards are already in force and are known to all.

“We’re used to it, we’ve done it before. We had to hire security guards because we didn’t really have that many staff, but for the rest, that didn’t change much,” said Jonathan Gagnon, Director of Sports Experts, confident that many of them had. They foiled the proceedings by completing their purchases this weekend.

“we understand”

As for customers, the majority of people we met on Monday said they support such measures. The rapid increase in cases in recent days has many people saying “we no longer have a choice”.

“We understand that if we don’t, it will be worse,” reckoned Madeleine Rubichod, who met in a Costco parking lot in Levis, where a line of forty customers had to endure the cold before they could enter.

Genevieve Bernier, who was finishing her Christmas shopping, admits that the process is more complicated than expected. “I needed other things and there I was wondering if I would write another line or if I wouldn’t go there,” the lady reversed, supporting the government’s decision, but says she understands the position of some.

Preparation and organization

In addition to shopping malls and some Costco stores, Newspaper Don’t commit to any waiting periods at other businesses or at groceries. The approaching Christmas festivities may be a game changer, with December 23rd being the busiest day of the year for supermarkets.

So the key will be preparation and organization, all accompanied by a good dose of patience.

“We must plan for more hit,” warns Carl Pechet, whom Galerie de la Capitale met with. “We try to plan everything in the same places so that we don’t have 40 places either.”

to see also