NAJ issues preliminary guidance for jewellery retailers

The National Association of Jewellers (NAJ) has published new guidance to help jewellery stores across the UK and Ireland make preparations for when ‘lockdown’ is lifted.

The association confirmed that this “non-exhaustive” and preliminary guidance would be the first of a number of versions that would be released over the next several weeks. 

The guidance is broken down into four key areas: start safe, store safe, task safe and home safe. The majority of guidance was developed from ‘essential’ retailers who have continued to operate  throughout the coronavirus pandemic. 

Nonetheless, the new publication also contains industry-specific advice, such as cleaning jewellery, trying on jewellery and security.

The NAJ previously hosted a survey to “understand the most common questions amongst it’s membership” as well as the current and post-lockdown status of businesses.

Some 85% of the retailers who completed the survey are closed until further notice. However, 54% of respondents were planning to open with skeleton staff post-lockdown, while 21% of retailers were planning to open back to full capacity and 12% were “waiting to see what happens”.

The NAJ said that the safety and wellbeing of all staff and customers was its “number one priority, and therefore it is important that virus control restrictions continue to limit transmission”.

NAJ chair, Harriet Kelsall, said: “This preliminary guidance aims to help NAJ members and supporters with a list of things to think about when deciding how to go along with government advice as well as considerations for the reopening of their jewellery stores. 

“This is an agile document and so we will keep changing it as more information and ideas come along. We will be updating the document over the next fortnight as we receive further feedback from members and HM Government updates (released daily).”

The guidance can be found here.