The Ministry of Industry and Trade proposed to allow shopping centers and cafes to let visitors with a QR code

The Ministry of Industry and Trade proposed to the regional authorities to allow non-food stores, catering establishments, as well as facilities providing personal services, during the non-working days and other restrictions announced in the country due to covid-19, to receive visitors in trading floors and service halls, provided that they have valid QR code. RBC has a copy of the department's appeal.

After the release of the material, the Ministry of Industry and Trade clarified that the recommendations to the regions were indeed developed, “however, in the end they were not approved, it was decided not to issue them.”

According to the document, the ministry believed that tenants of shopping centers could continue to work if they provided access to grocery stores, catering and other retail using QR codes that would be checked at the entrance, and would comply with other anti-epidemiological measures (mask regime, social distance) .

The agency said that additional restrictions on the operation of shopping centers, non-food stores, catering outlets and personal services in some regions could lead to critical consequences for businesses that have not recovered properly after last year. “We urge you to act very prudently and not overdo it with restrictions. Priority should be given to compliance with sanitary requirements in trade facilities and incentives for vaccination of the population,” the Ministry of Industry and Trade believes.

The press service of the mayor of Moscow told RBC that they had not received proposals from the Ministry of Industry and Trade. RBC turned for comment to the department of trade and services of the capital and the press service of the governor of the Moscow region.