UK supermarket face mask policies

[jhodgski]

I received this email from Co-op (my emphasis), but does anyone know the policies for other supermarkets:

 

The Government have announced that wearing a face covering in shops and supermarkets in England will be mandatory from this Friday, 24 July. 

I wanted to update you on the Society’s approach on this issue as it will mean that customers in our Food stores, Funeral homes, Travel branches, Pharmacies and Post Offices will now need to wear a face covering in line with Government guidelines. 

From tomorrow, posters containing clear messages will be displayed at the entrance to every Midcounties site informing customers of that requirement. 

The Society’s commitment to these guidelines is further reflected in our decision that every customer facing colleague should also wear a face covering to ensure that we provide both our colleagues and customers with the maximum protection. The Society has provided suitable face coverings for all applicable colleagues for use in the working environment.

Our colleagues will be encouraged to politely prompt non-compliant customers by referring them to the notices in-store. 

Under the Government guidelines the latest rules for shops will be enforced by the police, with anyone disregarding them at risk of a fine of up to £100. Our colleagues will not be required to challenge or enforce compliance. 

In addition to the wearing of facial coverings, social distancing remains at 2 metres where possible in all our sites, we will maintain protective screens for the foreseeable future and we will continue with other measures including limiting the number of people at busy times, directing the flow of customers, and encouraging the use of hand sanitiser. These are all actions that remain key to controlling the spread of the virus.

I hope that this message provides you with clarity and reassurance on our approach to the new guidelines and I look forward to your co-operation when visiting our sites.

Many thanks in anticipation of your support.

 

 

[oz93666]

Well J .... this is all a small test to see how courageous truthers are ...How many will make a small gesture for what they believe in .... 

 

This is not NAZI Germany (Yet) ... you will not be shot on the spot , or carted of to a torture camp ! lol 

 

You highlighted the dire consequences you can expect for not wearing a mask ...

." Our colleagues will be encouraged to politely prompt non-compliant customers by referring them to the notices in-store. 
 Our colleagues will not be required to challenge or enforce compliance. ..."

 

So what you gonna do ??? the balls in your court . 

[jhodgski]

10 hours ago, oz93666 said:

So what you gonna do ??? the balls in your court . 

If I go shopping, there is a fair chance of moderate consequences for me, personally.

 

If I don't go shopping, there is a much bigger chance of worse consequences for all of us.

 

So, I will do the former.

 

If it culminates in bailiffs/police banging on my door and pushing notes through for money / my arrrest, it's hardly ideal (as it also means keeping the door locked and not answering it in order to guarantee keep them out).

 

A big part of me, naturally, wants to avoid all that stuff and retreat to the safety of online shopping, but what will there be left for future generations to inherit from us if we allow the ongoing invasion to continue unabated...

 

I think personal comfort for our generation has to come second.

[Jaquiby]

Went into my local esso garage yesterday, waited in line 3 people masked up in front of me, the young lad serving looked at me pointed to his face, I shook my head, he then shouted up the shop mask. Everyone turned round staring like I was some kind of bomb about to go off. I said I can't wear one, I'm medically exempt he said that he needed to see a exemption letter from the doctor, I said don't know you know the government have stopped doctors giving these out to people, he shut up and served his customers.  I looked round and saw 3 people behind with no masks, they must have seen me and took there's off. I went to get served by somebody else, and to the right of me was a man wearing no mask, nothing said to him, then another man without the a mask went to get served by the little Hitler that had just shouted at me. He wasn't wearing a mask but was offered one and declined, nothing more said. As I was getting served he couldn't leave it alone and said you will get fined by the police, getting really agitated and trying to stay calm I said to him, it is not the law, it's not a criminal offence not to wear a mask and the police can't enforce it, you need to do your research and stop getting your info from the news. This is a garage I go in frequently, know most of the staff and they always seem friendly. Seems like cos I was a woman on my own, he thought he'd throw a bit of authority around. I've seen a lot of security targeting women on their own. They tend to leave the blokes alone. Anyway I'm not a tough person at all, I'm soft hearted, an empath i suppose,get upset easily, and this took it out of me, but I knew I had to be brave and stand up for our rights. But not one person stood up for me, even though they had no masks on. I know a lot of people don't believe all this mask stuff but for peace and quiet just wear one, but I will just have to brave and carry on. I've since called the manager which is a really nice man and always had a warm smile and a hello. He apologised but used the excuse the lad was only 20. He said he had informed his staff to offer a mask at the counter and that was it, he said he felt in a predicament, and had a recent visit from the council about the 2 metre rules as he'd had complaints. We talked for about ten minutes, and I mentioned a few things about the mask thing going on. Just thought I'd share my experience, but I feel this is causing so much tension between people. And there getting what they want, they want us all fighting and arguing and stressed to bits. I won't give in, ever. 

[Fox Mulder]

You might find this useful to print off and wear on a lanyard. I have one but so far not needed anyway. I'm seeing far more people not wearing masks than wearing them.

 

 

Edited July 25, 2020 by Fox Mulder

[Jode]

I went into a garage yesterday without one...when the cashier saw me he took his off too..... we smiled. I paid. We smiled again. I left.... good work!

[Sentient Being]

I use this and I have had no problems:

 

 

[Jaquiby]

Must try and get my hands on one of those.  Where I live most people wearing masks now even outside, lots of small shops just refusing entry to anyone no matter if they say there exempt. So will try these options. Thanks 

Edited July 25, 2020 by Jaquiby
Needed more words

[CyprusAvenue]

4 hours ago, Jaquiby said:

Went into my local esso garage yesterday, waited in line 3 people masked up in front of me, the young lad serving looked at me pointed to his face, I shook my head, he then shouted up the shop mask. Everyone turned round staring like I was some kind of bomb about to go off. I said I can't wear one, I'm medically exempt he said that he needed to see a exemption letter from the doctor, I said don't know you know the government have stopped doctors giving these out to people, he shut up and served his customers.  I looked round and saw 3 people behind with no masks, they must have seen me and took there's off. I went to get served by somebody else, and to the right of me was a man wearing no mask, nothing said to him, then another man without the a mask went to get served by the little Hitler that had just shouted at me. He wasn't wearing a mask but was offered one and declined, nothing more said. As I was getting served he couldn't leave it alone and said you will get fined by the police, getting really agitated and trying to stay calm I said to him, it is not the law, it's not a criminal offence not to wear a mask and the police can't enforce it, you need to do your research and stop getting your info from the news. This is a garage I go in frequently, know most of the staff and they always seem friendly. Seems like cos I was a woman on my own, he thought he'd throw a bit of authority around. I've seen a lot of security targeting women on their own. They tend to leave the blokes alone. Anyway I'm not a tough person at all, I'm soft hearted, an empath i suppose,get upset easily, and this took it out of me, but I knew I had to be brave and stand up for our rights. But not one person stood up for me, even though they had no masks on. I know a lot of people don't believe all this mask stuff but for peace and quiet just wear one, but I will just have to brave and carry on. I've since called the manager which is a really nice man and always had a warm smile and a hello. He apologised but used the excuse the lad was only 20. He said he had informed his staff to offer a mask at the counter and that was it, he said he felt in a predicament, and had a recent visit from the council about the 2 metre rules as he'd had complaints. We talked for about ten minutes, and I mentioned a few things about the mask thing going on. Just thought I'd share my experience, but I feel this is causing so much tension between people. And there getting what they want, they want us all fighting and arguing and stressed to bits. I won't give in, ever. 

 

 

That sounds horrible @Jaquiby but you did really well to stand up to him.  Women can be an easy target for some but equally retail workers can take a lot of flack from the general public so perhaps he was 'getting in first' so to speak.  Good for you for phoning the manager and sounds as though he was taking your complaint seriously.  Carry on standing up to the bullies, absolutely no question.

[Jaquiby]

Thanks Cyprus avenue, your right I can see both sides too, lots of shop workers looking stressed out, It's crazy times, and people aren't in their right minds, but even though I wanted the floor to swallow me up I knew I just couldn't let it go, and had to speak up. Trying to toughen up and not let them upset me. But I am definitely seeing the women being targeted much more in this. Fingers crossed more people stop wearing them, but they just pull them out of their pockets and nip into the shops, to them it's not too much of an inconvenience,  just something there told to do, but they don't see the bigger picture,  or dont want to see, and the consequences of giving into them with this are not going to be good. There going to push and push until eventually we have no rights left. 

[jhodgski]

Jaquiby,

 

Ithink what you've shared with us will inspire a lot of people.

 

And it's great to set such an example to everyone else so early on.

 

Is it really not the law? (Sorry for my ignorance, but I'd tuned out of everything a few weeks ago and only heard about this the other night.)

[jhodgski]

Back to the main subject for a moment, today's Daily Mail answers my question, saying these supermarkets have stated it's not up their workers to force the rules: M&S, Co-op, Tesco, Sainsburys, Iceland, Asda and Morrison.

 

Bad news for Aldi shoppers, though. CEO Giles Hurley said: "Last week, the Government announced that face coverings will be compulsory in shops in England from July 24 and, for that reason, you will need to wear a face covering to enter one of our stores from this date."

 

A great time to boycott Aldi and see their sales plummet - possibly forcing them to change their policy. One in the eye for Boris Johnson.

[Jaquiby]

Thankyou,  jhodgski, ive checked and researched as much as I can and all I can find is that it's a rule, an arbitrary guidance, and I checked the difference between a rule and a law, and a rule doesn't have the backing that a law does, because rules are subject to change. And should be followed more out of respect. Laws take a lot of time and need to go through lots of stages to get past, so people can be prosecuted. Maybe that's why the police say they can't enforce it, as it's not a criminal offence not to wear a mask. Although I do know the police are a commercial company and can only uphold the common law, but people don't know this and get trapped by a type of legalese that the police use. Anyway I try to do research as much as I can, and If I'm going wrong somewhere maybe someone can help out. But I just try my best. I was upset by the shop incident, I had a few tears later on, thinking why are people turning on each other. But I know why, in my heart, and worse is coming this is only the beginning,  and if I don't stand up now I might might as well put the muzzle on and obey them and let them destroy my life. I heard a quote and I keep repeating it in my mind and it's "I'd rather die standing, than live on my knees". And that's what I'm going to do no matter how uncomfortable it is. 

[Moonlight]

In Germany it´s mandatory to wear these stupid masks everywhere - in shops.....in public transports etc.
I have to go by train every day for over 2 hours - it´s quite uncomfortable and trains are the places where you can catch viruses the best way 

of course the masks hold nothing - they are more a symbol to remind people that there is a pandemic
when you go in holidays by bus they let the next seat empty.....but not in planes - they are still packed....
German Lufthansa even says that you have do desinfect  you own seat before flying 

 

 

 

Edited July 28, 2020 by Moonlight