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Bay retail groups and shoppers are concerned some members of the public are flouting the Health Ministry's social distancing rules.
The Ministry of Health says businesses wanting to operate safely at alert level 2 need to maintain physical distancing requirements and keep a record for contact tracing for all peoplethat enter a controlled environment.
A ministry spokesman said the advice remained that people could go out with close friends and family but should maintain a 1m distance from people they did not know or wouldn't normally come into close contact with, where contact tracing is available, and 2m when contact tracing is not available.
Downtown Tauranga manager chairman Brian Berry said it appeared retailers and big-box retailers were doing what was expected of them.
"But some shoppers and members of the general populous do seem to be treating alert level 2 as if we are back to normal and are very relaxed about their social interactions.
She said she had also had feedback from some shoppers that not all businesses had hand sanitiser stations at the front of their stores
"I don't think it is fair to other businesses who could not reopen under level 2 because they weren't able to put in place the 2m social distancing regime.
Gillgren said she also believed some shoppers were staying away because of the level of non-compliance with rules.
There was a mixed response from shoppers surveyed in downtown Tauranga yesterday.
One shopper said it was clear people "were over it" and were quite relaxed about how close that got when mingling with other people.
Another shopper said while people were good walking up Mauao, in the downtown Mount shopping area, some people on the streets were not strictly following the rules.
Tauranga hospitality worker Nicole Greene said most people were keeping the required distances from each other, others were quite relaxed during their social contacts.
"I am annoyed as no one wants to go back to previous severe lockdown. I just don't understand why people are so relaxed about it," she said.
Downtown Tauranga chairman Brian Berry. Photo / File
A local supermarket worker said although businesses were doing their best to keep their staff and customers safe, too many customers are treating the social distancing rules too lightly.
"Some people just don't like to be told what to do and think they know best. But clearly they don't because of the numbers of people who have died from the virus.
"As a country, we are very lucky our numbers are low compared to other countries but that doesn't mean our infection rates will stay this way if we are too complacent."
Rotorua Central Mall manager Peter Faulkner said "in general" people were abiding by the social distancing requirements.
"But there will always be people who have to be reminded to make sure they maintain the required distances from each other."
Faulkner said the mall had set a maximum limit of 550 across the complex and the food court and The Warehouse had specific limits of shoppers.
"In general, it's one shopper in for one coming out, and if it looked like large queues were forming to enter a particular shop, people were asked to wait outside."
A Tauranga bus driver, who asked not to be named, also expressed concern about passengers who were "too casual" about keeping their distance.
"Some passengers come right up next to me when they hop on board and some would walk right past the hand sanitiser at the front of the bus if I didn't remind them.
"I do tell people not to get too close but if I told everyone I would be repeating myself several times a day," he said.
The driver said he had also transported school children who made no attempt to keep their distance from each other.
"No one wants to have to go back to a total lockdown situation. I see it all the time and I think people are being too blase. I'm sure they'd go ballistic if they caught Covid-19.
A Tauranga bus driver expressed concern about passengers who were "too casual" about keeping their distance. Photo / File
"Maybe it's because we did not have many people in Tauranga get the virus but some people are far too casual, especially when we aren't out of the woods yet," he said.
The driver said buses weren't full but passengers still had to sit in a window seat and maintain the required distance when entering and exiting the bus.
Another driver said his passengers were all doing the right thing.
"The rule is everyone has to sit by themselves in a window seat unless their companion lives under the same roof," he said.
A woman from Mount Maunganui, a regular bus user and over the past four to five days, said she and the driver were the only ones on board during her trips.
"I think it's great to see the bus company doing the right thing. I feel quite safe."
Bay of Plenty Regional Council transport adviser Melissa Winters said depending on the size of the bus, under Ministry of Health regulations the maximum number of passengers was 20, with each passenger required to sit in a window seat.
"We're doing our best to ensure everyone complies with these regulations and so far we have not had any complaints ... We are constantly monitoring the situation and have security staff at our Willow St depot and at Farm St behind Bayfair Shopping Centre."
