Leading UK supermarket chain Tesco is temporarily closing its fresh fish counters in response to the coronavirus health crisis, IntraFish has learned.
The retailer is also closing deli counters and salad bars because many customers are now shopping increasingly for packaged items and goods for their cupboards.
Staff are being switched from these full-service counters to help restock items in other parts of the store and to reduce touch points as part of efforts to keep workers and customers safer.
Rival Sainsbury's announced the closure of fish and pizza counters for the duration of the coronavirus crisis to free up warehouse and truck capacity "for products that customers really need."
Upscale supermarket retailer Waitrose said it plans to keep fresh fish counters open despite the growing coronavirus crisis, but said it may draw down the range it offers.
So far, fresh fish counters in French supermarkets are serving normally, a retail industry source said.
In the United States, supermarket giant Kroger is closing all full-service meat and seafood counters, as well as salad bars to free up employees for other jobs in its stores.
US retailers Publix and Price Chopper told IntraFish they will continue to operate their fresh fish counters.
