Citing safety concerns, Lowe's Home Improvement said Tuesday it will not allow its workers to enforce the company's new mandate that all shoppers wear face masks or facial coverings to combat COVID-19.
"Safety has been and continues to be our priority," the company said in a statement to The Charlotte Observer. A handful of shoppers complained to the Observer and on the Lowe's website about the lack of enforcement of the new mandate.
"We will not ask our associates to put their safety at risk by confronting customers about wearing masks, so we are consistently requesting that customers wear masks for the safety of everyone in our stores," according to the company statement.
Lowe's announced its mask mandate on Friday, a move that took effect on Monday.
The chain joined a growing list of retailers requiring customers to wear masks or face coverings to combat the novel coronavirus.
"As a retailer offering essential goods, we have a responsibility to our associates, customers and small businesses in communities nationwide to help provide a safe shopping experience," Marvin Ellison, Lowe's president and CEO, said in a statement Friday announcing the initiative.
Shoppers without masks
Signs at the entrance of the Mooresville Lowe's off N.C. 150 said customers must wear masks inside, but the signs did not address the consequences of not wearing one.
During a span of just 10 minutes Tuesday afternoon, however, an Observer reporter saw at least a dozen maskless shoppers enter and walk about the store, then check out at registers.
All Lowe's workers at the store had masks on, as did well over two-thirds of shoppers by the Observer's estimate.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper on Tuesday said refusing to wear a face covering is 'selfish' during the COVID-19 pandemic, The (Raleigh) News & Observer reported.
Workers told to wear masks
In early May, Lowe's began requiring all employees to wear a face mask or approved face covering while working in a store or in a customer's home. Masks and gloves were made available to workers, company officials said at the time.
Lowe's is adding signage at all store entrances mandating that customers wear masks, officials said Tuesday. Stores also are providing free masks at their customer service desks for those who need them.
And the company is continuing to reinforce social distancing at its stores through "overhead announcements, signage and ambassadors," according to Tuesday's statement.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings, along with following social distancing measure, to slow the spread of the coronavirus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.
Other retailers
Home Depot shoppers will have to wear masks or face coverings beginning Wednesday, company officials announced Friday.
Other retailers, including Harris Teeter, also are requiring customers to wear masks or facial coverings in their stores.
Effective Wednesday, all Harris Teeter shoppers will be required to wear a mask, the Matthews-based company said on its website.
And Publix announced it will require customers to wear face coverings effective Tuesday.
Such retailer mandates have led to occasionally violent confrontations between the customer angered at having to wear a mask and the cashier or other worker told to give the order, The New York Times reported in May.
