Retail Gets Tough on In-Store Mask Mandates; NRF Sees Walmart as 'Tipping Point'

All Walmart shoppers will be required to wear masks beginning Monday, said the retailer Wednesday, citing the spike in confirmed COVID-19 cases across the country. It joined Best Buy and other retailers hoping to stem the spread of the coronavirus through the use of face masks, a political hot button.

About 65% of Walmart’s 5,000-plus stores and clubs are in areas that have government mandates on face coverings, blogged Dacona Smith, chief operating officer-Walmart U.S., and Lance de la Rosa, chief operating officer-Sam’s Club. “To help bring consistency across stores and clubs, we will require all shoppers to wear a face covering," they said. The Monday date "will give us time to inform customers and members of the changes, post signage and train associates on the new protocols.”

In addition to signage at the front of stores, Walmart created “health ambassadors” who will be stationed near entrances “to remind those without a mask of our new requirements.” The ambassadors, identifiable by black polo shirts, will receive special training “to help make the process as smooth as possible for customers.” They will work with customers coming to a store without a face covering “to try and find a solution.” They didn’t outline the solutions under consideration, what would happen if customers refuse or how the rule will be enforced if customers remove face coverings once inside the store. The company didn’t respond to questions.

The executives didn’t detail how they would train associates to deal with customer pushback, but they acknowledged “differing opinions on this topic.” Walmart can play a role in helping to protect the health and well-being of communities it serves “by following the evolving guidance of health officials like the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]. We appreciate the understanding and cooperation of our customers and members in wearing face coverings to protect their safety and the safety of our associates.”

They called wearing a mask a “simple step” everyone can take for their safety and that of employees. They cited CDC advice saying “face coverings help decrease the spread of COVID-19, and because the virus can be spread by people who don’t have symptoms and don’t know they are infected, it’s critically important for everyone to wear a face covering in public and social distance.”

It will be the same process at Sam’s Clubs with those stores' members “politely reminding [customers] of our requirement to wear a face covering when shopping with us.” The Sam’s Club stores, which have a $45 annual membership fee, will provide free masks to customers who don't bring one, “or members can purchase masks in the club,” management said. It wasn’t clear how the rule would be enforced once customers were inside the store.

“We know it may not be possible for everyone to wear a face covering,” said the executives. Employees will be trained on those exceptions “to help reduce friction for the shopper and make the process as easy as possible for everyone.” Citing states and municipalities with mask mandates that “virtually everyone” complies with, they anticipate the same to happen in other parts of the country.

The National Retail Federation said Wednesday it hopes Walmart’s announcement is a “tipping point” in the public debate over masks: “Workers serving customers should not have to make a critical decision as to whether they should risk exposure to infection or lose their jobs because a minority of people refuse to wear masks in order to help stop the spread of the deadly coronavirus.”

NRF encouraged all retailers to adopt a nationwide policy requiring customers to wear face coverings or masks “to protect the health and well-being of customers, associates and partners during the coronavirus pandemic.” It also highlighted efforts of Starbucks, Best Buy, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Apple, Qurate Retail Group and Costco with nationwide mask mandates. Several YouTube videos of customers protesting Costco and Target mask requirements have gone viral.

Stores are private businesses that can adopt policies permitted by law for the health and safety of their employees customers, said NRF: “Shopping in a store is a privilege, not a right. If a customer refuses to adhere to store policies, they are putting employees and other customers at undue risk.”

The trade association co-signed a July 2 letter with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Business Roundtable and other business groups to President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and governors across the country. The letter called for a federal mask standard that could be implemented locally. “Retailers are protecting the health and safety of communities they serve,” it said: “Our elected leaders need to set politics aside and follow their example.”

As Best Buy was gearing up for a reopening after shelter-in-place last month, it said staffers would be required to wear face masks and it was asking customers (see 2006100057) to wear them, too. It upgraded that position Wednesday, joining other retailers requiring customers to wear face coverings when shopping in its stores.

Best Buy will provide a face covering if a customer doesn’t have one, “and small children and those unable to wear one for health reasons may enter without one,” it said. Customers concerned about wearing a mask can shop online, it said.

Best Buy said the requirement will protect shoppers, communities and Best Buy staffers, “although the risk of infection cannot be completely eliminated as long as there is community spread of COVID-19.” Best Buy believes “relevant statewide policies requiring masks are an appropriate public health response in protecting frontline retail workers and customers from the growing spread of COVID-19.”