Retailers With Mask Requirements Won’t Turn Away Non-Compliant Shoppers

As retailers seek to prevent staffers and shoppers from arguing, the requirements of major merchants that shoppers wear masks in U.S. brick-and-mortar stores are only so effective. Walmart, along with Walgreens, Home Depot and others, indicates that the retailer will still allow non-mask-wearing customers to transact, CNN reported.

The federal government, in addition to a number of local and state governments, does not require mask-wearing. As a result, merchants find themselves needing to make their own mask enforcement rules as they navigate a fragmented system.

The rise in COVID-19 cases is leading to concerns about how to prevent employees and customers from spreading the virus in busy retail locations.

As previously reported, Sam’s Club and Walmart last week announced that customers would be required to wear masks beginning on July 20. Walmart also indicated that a “health ambassador” would be positioned at entrances to inform people about the new policy.

Goldman Sachs previously indicated that a face mask requirement would curtail infections and aid the economy. The firm’s chief economist Jan Hatzius said in a note to clients, per CNBC, “We find that face masks are associated with significantly better coronavirus outcomes.”

And Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) President Brian Dodge wrote a letter to the National Governor’s Association Chair Lawrence Hogan (MD) and Vice-Chair Andrew Cuomo (NY) asking them to advocate for consistent and detailed mask requirements.

In addition, Larry Fink, the chief executive of BlackRock, has suggested that Americans wear a mask to help the American economy bounce back. Fink said in a televised CNBC interview on July 17, “If we all wore a mask, if we all cared about our fellow citizens a little more, we will resolve this crisis much sooner.”