Matalan has described an image that emerged of crowds gathering inside its Merseyside warehouse as "concerning".
The national retailer has spoken out after several staff at the Kirkby warehouse contacted BusinessLive to raise fears over social distancing rules not being followed.
In a statement, Matalan said it is operating its warehouse “with a number of precautions in place” that include increased cleaning, social distancing and regular breaks for handwashing.
It comes after several concerned staff told BusinessLive new guidelines set out by the government were not being followed and that Matalan “is not looking after us”, adding that “up to 100” people were going on break at the same time.
Coronavirus- North West business news
Another said the firm was “putting people at risk for a little bit of profit”, claiming staff were told it was “business as usual for us”.
All three workers who contacted BusinessLive said they thought Matalan should have closed the warehouse following Prime Minister .
While all non-essential shops have been forced to close under strict new measures announced by the Government last night, there are currently no requirements for distribution and online operations to stop.
There are, however, strict rules about social distancing, including extra handwashing and keeping a 2m distance at all times, as well as working from home where possible, for firms who have chosen to continue working.
Most Read
Like most other high street retailers, Matalan has announced it will temporarily close its doors as of 6pm on Tuesday until further notice.
It is still allowing customers to shop online, hence why the warehouse remains operational.
Want more business news straight to your inbox?
BusinessLive is your home for business news from around the country - and you can stay in touch with all the latest news through our email alerts.
You can sign up to receive morning news bulletins from every region we cover and to weekly email bulletins covering key economic sectors from manufacturing to technology and enterprise. And we'll send out breaking news alerts for any stories we think you can't miss.
Visit our email preference centre to sign up to all the latest news from BusinessLive.
When contacted for comment, a Matalan spokeswoman said: “It is concerning to see this image as we are operating our warehouses with a number of precautions in place such as implementing social distancing rules, regular breaks for washing hands and increased cleanin of all facilities.
“This is an unprecedented and extremely tricky situation and the safety and welfare of our colleagues remains our absolute priority.”
She said that the firm was constantly reviewing its colleague communications “to ensure that the social distancing guidelines are being followed by all colleagues”.
She added: “We are monitoring the coronavirus situation very closely and are following all guidance provided by the Government and Public Health England.
“We will continue to serve our online customers from our DC and await further guidance from the government on the situation.”