As malls across the UAE close for two weeks and the country undergoes a vast sterilisation programme as part of ongoing measures to stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus, there have been some changes to store opening times.
Supermarkets and some pharmacies within malls will remain open to ensure everyone is able to access essentials, however, some opening times have changed as people have been asked to remain in their homes between the hours of 8pm and 6am until Sunday, April 5.
LuLu Hypermarkets across the UAE have temporarily reduced opening hours in line with the government's ongoing sterilisation drive, which has been extended until Sunday, April 5.
Until then, all its stores will operate on reduced hours, open daily from 8am to 7pm. V Nandakumar, chief communications officer at LuLu Group, said, "Please plan your shopping accordingly and avoid last moment rush so as to maintain social distancing procedures."
Malls will be taking special measures to ensure customers are able to access supermarkets safely, signposting them to the closest entrance and carrying out daily deep cleaning, while some malls have thermal cameras installed.
A spokesperson for Oasis Mall, which has outlets in Dubai and Sharjah, told The National. "In Dubai, a thermal camera has been installed at the mall's main entrance, while the basement parking will be fully functional in both the Dubai and Sharjah locations, to give all visitors quick access to the Carrefour stores as well as the iCare clinic in Oasis Mall Dubai and Life pharmacy in Sharjah."
Carrefour, which has dozens of branches across the UAE, has also ensured customers that it is working closely with suppliers to ensure that stock levels remain high, and prices do not inflate.
"We encourage all our valued customers to shop responsibly and be mindful of others," a spokesperson for the supermarket said. "We have full confidence in our stock and supply chain and we continue to monitor stock levels to ensure we adequately cater to customer needs. We are also working closely with suppliers to ensure that essential products remain at reasonable prices so that our customers don’t experience an increase in their shopping bills."
Carrefour hypermarkets in Dubai and Fujairah will now be open 8am to 8pm, while the chain's smaller supermarkets will remain open at their normal hours.
The statement added that stores would be adding special measures to ensure customers follow social distancing rules, including placing acrylic glass screens at checkout counters and installing signs detailing best social distancing practices.
Here is a handy guide for which supermarkets will be open when:
Dubai
Carrefour, Mall of the Emirates
Daily, 8am-8pm
Carrefour, Ibn Battuta
Daily, 8am-8pm
Carrefour, Sunset Mall
Daily, 8am-midnight
Carrefour, Deira City Centre
Daily, 8am-8pm
Carrefour, Festival City
Saturday to Wednesday, 8am-8pm
Thursday and Friday, 8am-8pm
Carrefour, Oasis Mall
Daily, 8am-midnight
Carrefour, Mirdif City Centre
Daily, 8am-8pm
Carrefour, Me'aisem City Centre
Daily, 8am-8pm
Grandiose, Jumeirah
Daily, 7am-midnight
Grandiose, Marina
Daily, 24 hours
Hyperama, Al Quoz
10am-9pm, Sunday to Wednesday and 10am-10pm Thursday to Saturday
LuLu Hypermarket, Al Barsha
Daily, 8am-7pm (Until Sunday, April 5)
LuLu Hypermarket, Al Qusais
Daily, 8am-7pm (Until Sunday, April 5)
Spinneys, Al Furjan
Daily, 8am-11pm
Spinneys, Dubai Marina
Daily, 7am-11pm
Union Coop, Umm Suqeim
Daily, 24 hours
Waitrose, The Dubai Mall
Daily, 10am-9pm (from Sunday, March 29)
Waitrose, Marina Mall
Daily, 7.45am-11pm
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi Co-op, Abu Dhabi Mall
Daily, 8am-midnight
Abu Dhabi Co-op, Khalidiya
Daily, 24 hours
Abu Dhabi Co-op, Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre
Daily, 9am-11am
Waitrose, The Galleria Al Maryah Island
Daily, 8am-9pm
Carrefour, Airport Road
Sunday to Thursday, 8am-midnight
Friday and Saturday, 9am-midnight
Carrefour, Marina Mall
Daily, 9am-midnight
Carrefour, Yas Mall
Daily, 9am-midnight
Lulu Hypermarket, Al Wahda
Daily, 8am-7pm (Until Sunday, April 5)
Lulu Hypermarket, Khalidiya Mall
Daily, 8am - 7pm (Until Sunday, April 5)
Lulu Hypermarket, Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre
Daily, 8am - 7pm (Until Sunday, April 5)
Lulu Hypermarket, Mushrif Mall
Daily, 8am-7pm (Until Sunday, April 5)
Lulu Hypermarket, World Trade Centre Abu Dhabi
Daily, 8am - 7pm (Until Sunday, April 5)
Organic Foods and Cafe, Nation Towers
Daily, 9am-11pm
Spinneys, World Trade Centre Abu Dhabi
Daily, 7am-11pm
Waitrose, Boutik Mall
Daily, 8am-11pm
Spinneys, Corniche
Daily, 24 hours
