WITH England under lockdown again, a raft of supermarkets including Tesco are toughening up Covid measures.
Supermarkets remain open because they are classed as essential shops under lockdown rules, so you can continue to buy food and other household items.
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Tesco has a number of rules that shoppers must follow in store, and has changed its opening hours in response to coronavirus.
It has also outlined guidance to customers who wish to shop online.
Here's Tesco opening times, and what you need to know about ordering online.
When are Tesco branches opening and closing?
Tesco has more than 3,400 stores across the UK and you can find your nearest – including store opening times – using the supermarket's store locator tool.
Many stores have extended opening hours to help more people shop in-store during quieter times.
However, the majority of shops remain closed overnight.
Since March last year, Tesco temporarily stopped its 24 hour opening times to help with restocking.
Many stores are opening at 6am or 7am in the morning and close at 10pm or 11pm.
But it's best to check with your local store for exact opening times.
Does Tesco operate any special opening hours?
Yes – there are special opening hours for vulnerable and elderly shoppers in some stores, as well as NHS workers.
Whether your store has dedicated hours in place for vulnerable and elderly shoppers depends on which shop you visit.
For example, priority times at Tesco Brackley Superstore are between 9am and 10am every Wednesday.
But these special hours do not apply to Tesco Express stores.
NHS, emergency service and care workers have priority access to stores at any time.
If there's a queue, just make your way to the store entrance and share a valid ID to enter.
We suggest you call your nearest store before heading out to shop as timings will vary.
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When is the best time to shop there?
Google has a tracker that allows you to see when the peak times are.
If you search for “Tesco” and then click on your nearest store, it will show a bar chart of when the store’s busiest times are.
What should I buy when I’m there?
The Government and supermarkets have urged shoppers not to panic buy or stockpile.
Tesco has introduced buying limits on some essential products, such as toilet roll, to help with this too.
You won't be able to buy anything at the counter for the time being, as Tesco has closed them to focus on stocking areas most in demand in stores.
To help you lower the number of visits you'll usually make to the shops, we have compiled a list of what you need for two weeks.
Can I order online?
You can still order online, but Tesco has encouraged customers to shop in store instead due to a high demand in online delivery slots.
Shoppers flocked online at the beginning of the third lockdown, which resulted in customers claiming delivery slots were "running out".
Due to this spike, Tesco has more than doubled the number of online slots to 1.5 million each week.
The store has employed tens of thousands of temporary staff since Christmas to cope with the demand.
You'll only be able to book one slot a week.
And you'll only be able to buy 95 items per online order.
What about priority online slots?
Hundreds of thousands of these slots will be reserved for Tesco's most vulnerable customers.
Tesco will have emailed you if you're eligible to book one.
Customers reserving these slots will be able to reserve a delivery window between 10am to 6pm, or 2pm to 10pm.
Tesco will text you on the day of your delivery to let you know when your one hour slot is within this window – so make sure your mobile number is up to date in your account.
If you're not able to go to the shops for another reason (for example if you are self-isolating), then you can call Tesco's customer engagement centre to try and get a priority slot.
Can I still use click and collect?
Yes – you can still be able to use click and collect services.
In fact, Tesco is encouraging shoppers to use this service or shop in store instead of ordering online to free up slots.
You'll still be able to use the service in Scotland too.
Although Nicola Sturgeon has toughened up click and collect rules, you can still use this service if you are shopping for essential items.
If you're looking for opening times for shops still open including Boots, Halfords and Poundland, here's a list for you to check.
And here are 10 top tips to help with your Tesco shop.
Want the lowdown of what the lockdown rules are for supermarkets including Tesco, Asda and Lidl? Check out our round-up.
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