Stores are clamping down on customers wearing masks in-store, and Aldi has joined Morrisons, Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury’s in making it mandatory to wear them or be refused entry.
To make the new ruling easier, for a limited time they’re offering free masks if you forget your own. The store has also urged people to shop alone where possible – as was the case in the first lockdown.
Those who are exempt from wearing a face mask for medical reasons will not have to wear masks in stores. As well as those who rely on lip-reading and people who masks would risk harm or injury to others are also exempt.
The chief executive at Aldi UK, Giles Hurley, said: “The safety of our colleagues and customers is our number one priority… Wearing a mask is mandatory for everyone that shops at Aldi, except for the small number of people who have a medical exemption.”
Another supermarket, Waitrose joined the list making face masks mandatory. Andrew Murphy, group operations director at the John Lewis Partnership, said: “We’ve listened carefully to the clear change in tone and emphasis of the views and information shared by the UK’s governments in recent days.
“While we recognise that the detail of formal guidance has not changed, we feel it is right for us – and in the best interests of our partners and customers – to take proactive steps to further enhance our Covid security and related operational policies.
“By insisting on the wearing of face coverings, over and above the social distancing measures we already have in place, we aim to make our shops even safer for customers.”
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