Tesco encourages customers to wear masks in shops after July 19

Tesco and Waitrose have become the latest retailers to say they will encourage customers and shop workers to continue wearing masks in their supermarkets from July 19.

On Wednesday evening, fellow supermarket chain Sainsbury’s said it will encourage all customers to wear a face covering if they can after “freedom day”.

It comes after the Government published guidance for businesses which said it “expects and recommends” masks to be worn by workers and customers in crowded, enclosed spaces as the work from home order ends.

Tesco has said it will also leave a raft of virus curbs, such as distancing measures, in place across its shops.

Last week, the supermarket started an internal review regarding its mask-wearing policies ahead of the latest easing of restrictions.

The firm said it will continue to have capacity limits in its stores, protective screens at checkouts, hand sanitiser stations and regular cleaning after speaking with customers and colleagues.

A Tesco spokesman said: “Since the start of the pandemic, we have focused on ensuring everyone can get the food they need in a safe environment.

“Having listened to our customers and colleagues, we will continue to have safety measures in place in our stores; these include limiting the number of people in store at any time, protective screens at every checkout, hand sanitiser stations and regular cleaning.

“We’re asking our customers and colleagues to be on the safe side, and so from July 19 we’ll be encouraging our colleagues to wear face coverings whilst they work and encouraging our customers to do the same when they shop with us.”

Coronavirus – Sun May 3, 2020
Customers maintain social distancing in a queue to enter a Waitrose supermarket in north London (Victoria Jones/PA)

Staff and customers at Waitrose and John Lewis have also been recommended to continue wearing masks but said it will ultimately be up to individual judgment.

A spokesman for the John Lewis Partnership, the parent company of both brands, said: “In line with Government guidance, we will recommend that our customers and partners in England continue to wear a face covering, unless exempt, from July 19.

“The decision over whether to do so or not, when in our shops, will be for each individual to take, based on their own judgment.

“Across all of our stores we will be retaining perspex screens and hand sanitising stations.

“We will also maintain all of the hand hygiene and store cleaning disciplines which have served us well since the start of the pandemic.”

The retail group added that it will continue to follow legislation in Scotland and Wales which requires customers and employees to wear masks, unless exempt.

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