Why are Sainsbury's (and others) asking for continued mask wearing?

447

The rules don’t change yet is it tomorrow or Monday we back on plan A? And Xmas restrictions are off?

Because it’s an easy way to help prevent transmission.

We're still in a pandemic. I presume they've twigged that Boris is lifting the mask mandate well before the scientific evidence would suggest it, because he's more interested in saving his politic career than saving lives.

Pragmatically, they'd like the clinically vulnerable to still feel able to come and spend money. And they'd like enough staff to be able to work to be able to sell stuff.

Tfl say you still have to wear them as well regardless of the rule change, hardly anyone does anyway and no one polices it.

Because they can refuse custom to anyone they choose for any reason they choose as long as its not discriminatory against protected characteristics.

It gets them in the news. It makes them look like they are doing the right thing. People who like masks might be more likely to go there instead of Asda etc. In the long run it helps them make more money which will be why they have done it.

Presumably to reduce the spread of Covid for staff and customers, and because although the guidelines don't require people to wear masks in crowded indoor spaces, they do encourage people to do so.

The rules change yes…

But the change is (as before) from ‘you must wear a mask’ to ‘you don’t have to wear a mask (but you can do so voluntarily since there’s still a pandemic going on)’.

The new rule isn’t ‘people shouldn’t wear masks’.

Because they're struggling with staff getting Covid and having to be off?

@Cherryblossomtree99

Only said this evening on the "who is planning to ditch masks" thread that I haven't seen anyone suggest this removal of mandate that shops will refuse entry to people without masks! I spoke to soon, and no, shops won't be refusing to let un-masked people in. They didn't up to today when it was a legal requirement unless exempt.

On a practical level, they want to reduce staff absence as much as possible, and for levels of Covid to stay low enough that people don't stay home doing only minimal shopping. It's to their advantage to keep community spread low.

I would guess because it makes commercial sense and enables Sainsbury's to tread a middle line and keep the largest number of people happy.

Most of us who want to abandon masks will do so in Sainsbury's, and Sainsbury's will not bat an eyelid. Those who are mask-anxious can be pointed to the notices and Sainsbury's can blame the government for the situation and claim that if it was down to them everyone would still have to wear them.

Because covid hasn't gone away. Our city has just gone into the black for the first time. We're massively behind everywhere else.

Because it helps people like my 82 year old mum feel slightly more comfortable about doing her shopping? Is it really so much to ask?

If I were running a supermarket, I think it would be a good thing to do and interesting to see the outcome.

Not only does it give somewhere for those vulnerable to do their shopping feeling a bit more safe, it will give the supermarkets an idea over what the majority of people prefer.

It will either bring in more custom, or they will lose some. Either way, it will be interesting fo see how it unfolds.

Probably some combination of:

-they thing it is the right thing to do their bit to prevent spread in the community
-staff preference
-reduce staff sickness
-customers more likely to be deterred if masks aren’t worn
-good PR

I would guess because it makes commercial sense and enables Sainsbury's to tread a middle line and keep the largest number of people happy.


I agree. They took a similar stance in July too

www.about.sainsburys.co.uk/news/latest-news/2021/140721-sainsburys-encourages-face-coverings

Frankly I have never seen anyone being stopped in my local Sainsbury for not wearing a mask.

So I hardly think that the staff will bother to say anything now.

Just posturing from their head office.

If I had to guess, I'd say maybe to reduce staff absences? Having multiple members of staff off work for a week at a time will be killing them, they either have to be short staffed and it cause damage to their service, or cough up loads of extra money for overtime

@BobBobbity re staff preference, last time my local Sainsburys had a gradual decline in customers wearing masks but 50/50 for staff on the very first day.

A bit of posturing, but maybe also realising that huge amounts of the country still have rates higher than when masks were mandated. Boris Johnson doing his London centric thing again.

I haven't particularly decided what I'm going to do about masks or anything come "Covid? What Covid?" day.

People can’t stack shelves and operate tills from their sick beds. We still have around 100k cases a day, it hasn’t magically gone away. Isolation is still mandatory.

To attract a target market