Covid passports could be required for clothes shopping after 21 June

Only essential stores would be ruled out from needing a form of Covid-status certification

So-called “Covid passports” may be required for customers to enter clothes shops in England after all lockdown restrictions are lifted on 21 June. In a briefing document circulated on Monday by Downing Street, the government confirmed that it was considering “Covid-status certification” after lockdown eases. This certification would show whether an individual has either been vaccinated, recently tested negative or has natural immunity through infection.

In the document ministers state that shoppers should never be required to provide a document or ID to enter essential retail venues. However it did not make clear which shops would be exempted from customers requiring Covid certification in order to enter.

Previously essential stores have included food and drink retailers, pharmacies, newsagents, builders’ merchants, garden centres and bicycle shops.

The government have been keen to point out that no decision has been made on the use of Covid certification, and the Prime Minister has said that if they were implemented it would not be for either of the next two stage of lockdown easing, scheduled in for 12 April and 17 May.

When asked today about the prospect of people needing a ‘vaccine passport’ to enter clothes stores such as Next or H&M, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister did not rule it out.

According to the Independent, the spokesperson said: “We have been clear that we will not require them as businesses reopen in stages two and three of the roadmap.

“But again the PM was clear that longer term there will some essential services such as essential retail and public transport where they will not be required.”

The prospect of Covid passports is already set to face stiff opposition from both sides of parliament, with dozens of Tory MPs already voicing their unhappiness with the suggestions. Meanwhile Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s shadow health secretary, has described the prospect of a form of ID to enter a clothes shop as “discriminatory.”

He said: “I’m not going to support a policy that, here in my Leicester constituency, if someone wants to go into Next or H&M, they have to produce a vaccination certificate on their phone, on an app. I think that’s discriminatory.”