SUPERMARKETS across Dunfermline and West Fife are introducing social distancing measures to keep staff and customers safe.

Stores are limiting the number of people shopping at any one time and two-metre distance markers are now in place on shop floors.

Customers are also being advised to pay by contactless or card payment rather than coins and notes.

Perspex screens have been brought in to protect workers and staff at till points.

Limitations on the number of items that can be purchased have also been introduced across various supermarket chains.

From Wednesday this week, Asda have positioned workers at the doors of their Halbeath superstore, St Leonard’s (Dunfermline) store and Dalgety Bay base to maintain safe customer numbers to help with social distancing.

A spokesperson said: "There will also be clear signage, directional barriers and floor markings to help you move around our store easily and maintain a 2-metre distance from other customers and our colleagues.

"We’re asking customers to only touch items they intend to purchase and to use cashless payment wherever they can to minimise contact. To make this even easier, as of 1st April, our contactless limit will be increasing to £45.

"There will be regular announcements on Asda radio to remind customers of their responsibility to apply social distancing rules whilst they shop, and to help you do this we are closing every other self-checkout till.

"We are also in the process of installing Perspex screens at our checkouts, pharmacies and service desks to help minimise contact and keep social distancing in place."

Tesco have introduced a store-wide restriction of three items per customers on every product, as well as removing multi-buy promotions.

Floor markings in their car parks have been brought in so customers can keep a safe distance when queuing outside.

Tesco has five stores in the West Fife area: Winterthur Lane, Dunfermline; Aberdour Road (Express), Dunfermline; Queensferry Road (Metro), Rosyth; Calais Farm Road (Extra), Duloch; and Regents Way (Metro), Dalgety Bay.

Dave Lewis, Tesco CEO, said: "Floor markings in our car parks will help you to maintain safe distances when queuing.

"Where necessary, we will limit the flow of people coming into our stores to ensure they don’t get too congested.

"Hand sanitisers are being placed around our stores for customers and colleagues to use, as well as extra cleaning products to wipe down your trolley or basket.

"In some stores, we will introduce directional floor markings and new signage, to create a safe flow around the store.

"New floor markings will help you to keep a safe distance from others while waiting to pay.

"We are installing protective screens at our checkouts.

"Where possible, we will create separate entrances and exits to our stores, so that it’s easier to keep a safe distance from other shoppers."

Co-op are also introducing social distancing measures at their Cairneyhill, Crossford, Dalgety Bay, Dunfermline, Inverkeithing, Oakley, Rosyth and Valleyfield stores.

A spokesperson said: "We are reducing the number of tills open to provide greater distance between customers.

"We'll mark a one-metre distance with tape in front of the kiosk for customers to stand behind and two metre spacing on the floor to guide customer queues.

"If necessary, we'll limit the number of customers in the store at any one time to maintain this distance."

They have also removed bagless shopping option to help avoid contamination, as well as limiting selected products to two per person.

Sainsbury's, which has one store on Unwine Avenue, Rosyth, have started limiting the number of customers allowed in their store and at their ATMs.

Mike Coupe, CEO, said: "We are limiting the number of people in our stores and at our ATMs at any one time. This includes putting queuing systems in place. We ask customers to keep at a safe distance of two metres apart.

"We are reducing the number of checkouts in supermarkets, convenience stores and petrol stations. We will be introducing safety screens at manned checkouts and are regularly sanitising customer areas of our stores.

"We would like customers to pay by card.

"If you would like to pay by cash, please use our self-service tills. Customers can also use the SmartShop on their own devices, which means less interaction with other customers and colleagues and less time queuing to pay."

Aldi have two shops in Dunfermline (Halbeath Road and Duloch) and they are asking people to observe the two-metre markings on their store floors.

Limited entry is also now in place as are perspex screens at till points.