SAINSBURY'S is banning couples from shopping together as it ramps up social distancing rules in its stores.

The latest measures introduced by the major supermarket chain will see staff asking customers who turn up in groups to choose one adult from the household to shop, while the others wait outside.

Parents are also urged not to bring their children shopping with them unless they absolutely have to.

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The most recent policy change aims to limit the number of people walking around the shops and cut down queuing times.  

In a letter to customers Sainsbury's chief executive Mike Coupe wrote: "From today, we are asking everyone to please only send one adult per household to our shops.

"This helps us keep people a safe distance apart and also helps to reduce queues to get into stores.

"Our store teams will be asking groups with more than one adult to choose one adult to shop and will ask other adults to wait.

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"Children are of course welcome if they are not able to stay at home."

The resrictions follows a similar announcement from Waitrose that has implemented a 'one person per household' policy in its stores.

Aldi has already introduced similar measures, capping the number of customers per trolley to one.

Tesco is also asking people to only send one person per household.