Open stores for longer hours

This spreads the store traffic and hence prevents crowd building.
Governments/shopkeepers/local agencies must make a list of stores in every
locality, note their operational hours and advertise them publicly to keep people
informed about it.
2. Avoid closed spaces
Some recent studies point out that novel coronavirus may be airborne for up to a
few hours before it settles down. In closed environments such as retail stores
(which have fans and ACs), if an infected person enters, sneezes and leaves,
anyone entering the premises for many hours after him/her will stand the chance of
inhaling the floating virus and get infected.
Retailers in Europe are putting essentials outside stores in open spaces so that such
mass spread may be avoided. Similarly, in rural India, weekly haats/bazaars may
be organised in bigger fields with considerable distance among shoppers to avoid
close contacts. In cities, school/college grounds may offer such desired vast spaces.
Billing is most vulnerable
Billing at the point of sale (POS) or cash counter is the most vulnerable activity
during an epidemic of this kind because both the shopper and the cashier are in
close contact. Also in Kirana stores, owners themselves are the cashiers who
handle the products and currencies with the same hands, enhancing the chances of
virus spread. The process may be altered with (1.) not taking the change back, (2.)
use of digital payments, (3.) taking credit and paying in bulk. In any case close
contact must be avoided by paying and taking product delivery from a distance.

Social distancing near the billing counter

Contact less payment at the payment counter

Disinfecting doors /racks/all frequently touched places

Disinfecting all trolleys and shopping bags

Temperature sensor at the store entrance for staff and customers

Sanitizers for the customers and the staff

295 stores in big bazaar In 2020, Big Bazaar was acquired by Reliance Retail, the retail
division of the Reliance Industries, as part of a ₹27,513 crore ($3.38 billion) sale transaction
of Future Group.