Iceland’s managing director has said that his staff will not make customers wear masks when they become mandatory tomorrow.
Instead, Richard Walker said the supermarket would focus on the “long-term recovery of the high street”, suggesting the new rules could “discourage” shopping.
The Co-op has also revealed that it will continue to serve mask-less customers.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Walker said: “We fully support the reintroduction of compulsory face masks in shops, however we won’t be asking our store colleagues to police it.
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“It’s crucial that we stay focused on the long-term recovery of the high street.
“We need to continue to encourage people to shop in stores if they feel comfortable, and I’m hopeful that the latest guidelines won’t discourage customers from doing so.”
In a statement, the Co-op said: “As throughout the pandemic, we support our customers wearing a face covering when shopping in our stores.
“It’s not our place to enforce face coverings or to refuse to serve a customer who chooses not to wear one.”
According to the Association of Convenience Stores, staff reminding shoppers to wear masks was the most common trigger of Covid-related crime.
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