If masks are made mandatory in England, will this put you off high street shopping?

[IHTC]

Y/N

The 100 disposable masks I bought for emergencies in anticipation of this last week have gone up from £8 to £20.... Too hot for a cloth mask. 100 should last years though.

@NothingIsWrong

Yes. The last time I went to the supermarket, those in masks seem to feel it makes them invincible. One woman got so close to me I could feel her breath through the mask on my cheek. I'm quite happy going shopping and making sure I keep my distance from people, the masks seem to make distancing completely disappear

I've had similar experiences in the shops near me.

So it looks like face coverings will be compulsory in shops or a possible fine of up to £100. Two things with this aside from the debate of should we/shouldn’t we:

1. Wonder how many fines will be issued? Anything like the quarantine rules that have been relaxed very few and Scotland haven’t issued in first week.

1. Why wait until 24th July? Other things have been implemented earlier oh maybe it has something due to the summer term in English schools ending by 23rd July. A very tricky bridge to cross above murky waters...so they avoid it for the time being.

1. Are disposable face masks the new plastic carrier bags? We’ve got used to reusing and paying for bags to reduce plastic waste. This potentially now will be replaced with masks.

3. Are disposable face masks the new plastic carrier bags? We’ve got used to reusing and paying for bags to reduce plastic waste. This potentially now will be replaced with masks.

Plastic carrier bags are alive and well here, Tesco use loads with the home delivery, no need to buy bin liners anymore back to the old days with that, and yes there should be bins provided but surely they will need to be the yellow biohazard ones.

The rule won’t put me off going shopping if I need to buy something, but it will put me off just browsing and mooching around the shops
(Which will likely be good for my bank balance, less so for the high street)

Yes

No, but the queuing in general does.

No. Would make more likely to go to shops.

Given social distancing has gone out of the window based on what I see on the streets and the reduction to 1m+ (and many people get far closer than 1m ), it’ll make indoor spaces less risky.

Why has the advice changed? I think there is 2 reasons.

1. There was a massive shortage for PPE for front line healthcare staff in March / April, of the public has panic purchased masks like they panic purchased loo roll then healthcare staff would have had even less PPE and been at even more risk.
2. Having had more time to study the virus, some scientists are hypothesising the virus maybe airborne for longer than originally thought, WHO are not ruling it out now, so why take the risk. Even if it only reducing transmission by a small amount it all helps.

The sooner we reduce cases in the community the sooner we can resume more activities.

Surely most people, or at least anyone concerned about the environment, will just buy a non disposable face covering?

The High Street is for browsing and trying on, touching stuff to feel the fabric, holding things up to compare with each other, you can’t do that now so may as well shop online, all the reasons for actually visiting a shop have disappeared.

@LovingLen

The High Street is for browsing and trying on, touching stuff to feel the fabric, holding things up to compare with each other, you can’t do that now so may as well shop online, all the reasons for actually visiting a shop have disappeared.

This. I think it's bye bye high street.

Well that's me not going shopping for the next god knows how many months. I'll do it online or I'll do without.

Yes

Absolute emergencies only from now on.

@CKBJ

So it looks like face coverings will be compulsory in shops or a possible fine of up to £100. Two things with this aside from the debate of should we/shouldn’t we:

1. Wonder how many fines will be issued? Anything like the quarantine rules that have been relaxed very few and Scotland haven’t issued in first week.

1. Why wait until 24th July? Other things have been implemented earlier oh maybe it has something due to the summer term in English schools ending by 23rd July. A very tricky bridge to cross above murky waters...so they avoid it for the time being.

1. Are disposable face masks the new plastic carrier bags? We’ve got used to reusing and paying for bags to reduce plastic waste. This potentially now will be replaced with masks.

Of course! I wondered about the date!! Yes. Masks in shops. No masks allowed in school. That clever virus.

Are people who are offended by the disparity between schools and shops teachers or people who are deeply against masks?

Because I have absolute sympathy for the former.

Well, no more shopping for me for the significant figure. I’m sure my bank balance will thank me!

I won't physically go shopping unless I have to buy will shop online instead. It will see off the lovely independent retailers we have in our small town which is just what they feared.

Yes

No. I don’t shop for fun, I go when I need something. If that means I wear a mask, so be it.

It will see off the lovely independent retailers we have in our small town which is just what they feared.

You are assuming the number of people who will stop shopping because of masks won't be matched by the number who are now happy to go shopping because of masks. Given that those who are shielding are soon to get a temporary reprieve from restrictions, I think you are wrong.

I certainly won’t shop for anything that’s not essential and can be bought online, or loiter around in any way. Not sure you can eg try things on anyway. I’m not a big ‘shopper’ though, so my custom won’t be lost.

It’s a disaster for the UK economy though as it’s built on people borrowing money and buying stuff. I might venture out patriotically to my local garden centre.

There’s probably a window of opportunity for a ‘Mask Shop’ on high streets - like the old Sock Shop and Tie Rack with jolly designs. I liked the one Fauci was photoed in yesterday.

That’s me not going out for the next god knows how long. I am very much an impulse buyer and love going for a mooch round the shops. I often spend a fair amount each time as well. We are going to Cornwall 1st week of August and I would always buy from local independent shops. Sadly it will be these shops that will suffer as I won’t bother. It’s a good job that I went out last weekend and ordered my new sofa and dining table from the local independent department store because if I had left it that would be £6k they would have lost.

I’m not anti-mask wearing per se. I just won’t go shopping unless I am absolutely forced to if I have to wear one. It is a real shame for local independent shops I agree.

They should lobby for an exemption for retailers under a certain square footage who can maintain social distancing eg max 2 in the shop at a time. That’s worked really well for our local deli, butcher and bread shop to date and has kept me away from the supermarket.

I hope my large supermarket of choice starts giving them away at the door.

You are assuming the number of people who will stop shopping because of masks won't be matched by the number who are now happy to go shopping because of masks. Given that those who are shielding are soon to get a temporary reprieve from restrictions, I think you are wrong.

The high street was suffering before this. I think the problem with masks is that it will impact the leisurely or impulse shopping that I assume brings in more money than a quick dash in for essentials. I used to mooch about for hours trying things on and maybe doing some impulse shopping and it's those shopping trips that would result in me spending a lot rather than a quick dash in for one specific thing that I can't get online.

The key thing will be whether the high street reports a drop or increase in footfall after the 24th because then it will be concrete proof of whether mask wearing increases or reduced shopping in person.