To think shopworkers want customers to wear masks?

[bravefox]

Just that really. I wear a mask when I go into shops as I suspect shopworkers want customers to, but very few other people seem to bother/care. I know some people can't wear masks, but they majority certainly could. To me it's just a politeness thing.

YANBU: Shopworkers want customers to wear masks
YABU: Shopworkers don't care

Yes, we do. Thankfully only 2 days until it becomes compulsory here in Scotland

I was thanked by a shop worker for wearing a mask yesterday.

Totally agree , it’s just courtesy really. Also in Scotland so getting used to seeing them

Would be very interested to hear from anybody who works in a shop/customer facing role!

I work in a bank and it’s much harder to understand customers who want to tell you something or ask for help when they are wearing a mask. Interestingly for us it seems people who don’t speak English as a first language are much more likely to be the ones wearing masks - making the issue harder.

I don’t understand why this isn’t compulsory? Seems obvious to me to easily help slow the spread

No shop workers where I live are wearing masks so presumably not fussed either way.

The shop workers aren't wearing masks here either, been no cases for 3 weeks here and all but 5 in the town were at the care home (acquired from hospital they think). I find masks very claustrophobic, if there's no cases there's no reason to wear one

Most shops I've been into, the staff are not wearing masks so I don't either.

The shop workers are rarely wearing masks where I am, only some older ones. I was at the supermarket last night and I only saw a man of 50 or so, who was on the exit door, wearing a mask. The supermarket is full of young workers and plenty of teenagers and young adults are socialising in large groups in green spaces around here.

Also hoping they are not made compulsory as it’s something else for us to get shouted at for having to police and listen to complaints about etc. I realise it would be the government making it compulsory but it tends to be retail staff that get the fall out from it

Not seen any shop workers wearing masks here

I suppose for the shop workers it’s harder as 8 hours in a mask might be quite bad. But for people shopping wearing a mask for the duration of the visit would be easier? And everyone who wears a mask will help protect others.

@Junglerum

Also hoping they are not made compulsory as it’s something else for us to get shouted at for having to police and listen to complaints about etc. I realise it would be the government making it compulsory but it tends to be retail staff that get the fall out from it

Yes, TikTok is full of videos from America of crazy people screaming abuse at retail workers who ask them to wear a mask....think it’s compulsory in some states now. Certainly in some shops. One elderly lady sat down by the checkout in a supermarket, wouldn’t put a mask on, screamed and shouted, flung herself down and refused to move!

Because it’s been proved that they don’t really work. Why would you force a country to do something that’s pretty pointless.

Masks are primarily to protect others. So if we all wear them in enclosed areas, job done.

You can’t expect shopworkers to wear one continuously for an 8 hour shift. Therefore, all customers should wear them and the staff distance from each other. 🤷🏼‍♀️

This needs to be explained more clearly because it seems people just don’t (want to?) understand it.

To me, I don't. I work in a shop where I need to be able to read the expressions of peoples faces. We have large protective screens up, and I am happy to wear a mask if the customer would like me to, but a customer wearing a mask makes the interaction very tricky.
But each shop and each interaction is very different.

@Flyingagainstreason How’s that?! It’s been shown again and again that if you are infected (and you likely won’t know for a few days while you’re still going into shops) your risk of infecting another person through virus particles travelling from your mouth through the air lis reduced dramatically if you put a barrier in front of your mouth.

I tried wearing a mask in the beginning it was horrible! Wearing one for 1/2 hour while your shopping is manageable wearing one for 8 hours in work is awful. If it was made mandatory for retail workers to wear them all
Shift I think you would find many people refusing to go to work. I for one would.

I have some for busy places and I do wear one if there are a lot of people. I feel it is more for show though and to give more anxious people than me peace of mind. Our local authority is on its 6th day of no new cases, with only 1 the week before that and 4 the week previous.
I have been keeping a close eye on our local numbers, as a teacher I am heading to work without any form of PPE or much in the way of distancing. I really feel the risk is negligible at the moment, of course this could change very quickly but fingers crossed not.

But a few moments at a till, when you are likely at least 1 metre away, unless you actively cough or sneeze without covering up, (which I'd like to assume most people wouldn't do anyway) is really not a risk, especially given the low level of community transmission now. Other than a few words, you are not having a prolonged chat. The risk to staff really is minimal and as others have said, the day to day downsides of them are a definite problem, for hundreds of thousands of interactions. The possible very slight upside of wearing one, given the factors above, do not, for me, outweigh those downsides.

The possible very slight upside of wearing one, given the factors above, do not, for me, outweigh those downsides.
I agree. Wore one a few days ago in the hairdressers and seemed utterly pointless as the only reason could have been to protect the staff and they were already wearing Darth Vader visors.
DC travel on trains in London and say that the rule to wear masks there is not enforced anyone and lots of people aren't. So who would enforce it in shops? The self/appointed 2m Gestapo shoppers presumably.
Nicola Sturgeon is only insisting in Scotland to prove she had the power to do what she likes, especially if counter to the UK Gvt advice.

I’d just rather follow the guidelines (which are easy to do for the half hour you’re in Tescos!) than take it upon myself to decide how to make other people safe.

Some interesting replies - I hadn't really thought about issues with non-verbal communication as a few posters mention.

Just to keep things on track - my question was about how shopworkers feel about customers wearing masks, not what customers themselves think!

The guidelines say wear one on public transport and in situations where you cannot SD. I don't find it difficult to social distance in shops and any contact closer than 1-2m is for seconds so I prefer to use my own common sense. I wear glasses, get the whole steaming up problem and found it v v uncomfortable when I had to wear one for a Dr's appointment. I won't be doing it unless I'm in a situation where it is mandatory.