Most shops have been locked since 23 March
Shops in England selling non-essential goods can reopen on Monday for the first time in almost three months.
Retailers have had to introduce strict safety measures and the High Street experience will be very different.
Amid fears about the health of the UK economy, getting a key part of the service sector running again is vital. But retail experts warned shops were unlikely to see any immediate relief.
Boris Johnson has urged people to "shop with confidence".
He said he was "very optimistic" about stores reopening - although acknowledged that retailers did not know whether there will be a "huge wave of customers" or a "trickle".
The unlocking comes as face coverings become compulsory when traveling on public transport in England from Monday. Children under the age of 11 will be exempt, and the rules might be waived for people who have a legitimate health reason for not wearing one.
However, face coverings in shops will not be mandatory, with retailers hoping their introduction of an array of other safety measures will be sufficient.
Although food shops, pharmacies, banks and other essential retailers have stayed open, vast swathes of the High Street, from bookshops to clothes outlets, have been closed since 23 March.
Not all stores will throw open their doors immediately. John Lewis will reopen just two outlets on Monday - in Kingston upon Thames and Poole - as part of a phased approach, with 11 others to follow on Thursday.
The number of customers entering stores will be regulated, but Andrew Murphy, executive director of operations, hopes it will mean a better atmosphere for shoppers. "To be honest, I actually think it's going to be the relative calmness of the experience that will probably be the main thing that strikes people."
But he did not expect a lifting of the measures any time soon. "We expect this situation to last well into autumn and perhaps winter so we need to be thinking ahead for how things will work when the weather's not so great," he said.
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