Retailers are being advised to prepare for any potential re-opening of their premises.

Among measures being considered are temperature checks for staff and customers and mandatory staff testing for COVID-19.

Retail Excellence Ireland says shops should also consider barring shopping baskets and insist on card payments for a period.

They are also considering banning price promotions to prevent a rush of customers.

The CEO of Retail Excellence Ireland, David Fitzsimons, told Newstalk Breakfast they are looking at a number of options.

"We're looking across Europe in terms of re-opening protocols in the likes of Austria and Germany, and seeing what they're up to.

"In a number of limited situations but where there's large footfall - transport hubs and shopping centres - are potentially looking at automated thermal imaging devices as you walk in".

"Our greatest concern is colleagues in smaller format stores, able to get on with their daily business with the two metre distancing protocols.

"So the likes of a telecommunications store or a jeweller - it's quite difficult when you think about it in terms of trying to keep away.

"So potentially smaller stores are going to have to have different counter space for different colleagues, which will then be sanitised after every shift."

And he said price promotions or bulk selling should be discouraged.

"When we re-open it's very important that we stick to selling what is deemed essential, that we don't create any surge buying of any sort.

"Obviously retailers are sitting on a huge amount of stock - but we think it best that we don't go into sale, don't go into promotion - that we steadily and carefully get through every day selling product at the price it should be sold at".