Shops are expecting a very busy few days ahead as non-essential retail opens for the first time this year.
The latest easing of Covid-19 restrictions is allowing customers without an appointment to go into a store.
Happy non-essential retail day, one & all!
Don’t forget your masks, remember to keep your distance & use hand sanitiser 😷
Most importantly, enjoy shopping!
— SPIN 1038 (@spin1038) May 17, 2021
Shoppers are being urged to stay patient with staff, while also practicing social distancing.
Queues have already formed outside a number of outlets across the country.
Duncan Graham from Retail Excellence says the larger chains were particularly busy during the partial reopening last week.
But he says "nothing compares to the full reopening of retail."
"There will be a lot of happy smiley faces behind those masks when people do get in [to the shops]".
Large Crowds Expected At IKEA
Meanwhile, IKEA says it’s taken a number of crowd control measures as long queues are expected at its Dublin store this morning.
The shop’s UK and Ireland chief executive Peter Jelkeby says their first priority is safety.
"We're going to have capacity control on how many people can be in-store at one time and we're going to have queue wardens".
