The Tesco CEO contacted customers last night (Tuesday, November 30) to announce new measures in UK stores in response to the government's rule changes due to the new omnicron covid variant.
The supermarket giant has outlined in an email how it is responding to the new guidance, including making clear that face coverings are now mandatory.
This comes in the wake of the government announcing that it is ramping up the booster vaccination program, with everyone over 18 becoming eligible for the third jab in the coming days.
READ MORE: Why Iceland and Co-op won't enforce facemask rules and what other supermarkets are saying
In an email to customers last night, Tesco CEO Jason Terry wrote that the chain has "always had the safety of customers and colleagues at the front of our minds" in how their stores have operated during the pandemic.
He wrote yesterday: "From today, 30 November, it’ll be a legal requirement for customers to wear a face covering in our stores (unless exempt).
"Alongside this, here’s a reminder of what else we’re doing to help keep you safe in-store:
- "Traffic light system – in the majority of our large stores and our busiest Express stores, to help monitor the flow of customers and prevent overcrowding.
- "Hand sanitisers – at store entrances (and elsewhere) for your hands and to wipe down your basket or trolley.
- "Protective screens around every checkout – so that we can open all of them and reduce queuing times.
- "Separate entrances and exits – where we can, to help make going in and out of the store as easy as possible."
Click here if you cannot see the survey
He also had a request for customers, writing: "Our in-store colleagues (and drivers) are still working very hard in difficult circumstances to serve our customers and feed the nation. So we’d just ask everyone to please be kind, patient and respectful as we try to keep everyone safe."
This comes after the bosses of Iceland and the Co-op said that their staff would not be enforcing the wearing of face coverings in stores due to the amount of verbal and physical abuse that they have received over the course of the pandemic.
Other supermarkets have been less explicit about their enforcement policies, although all have made clear that face coverings would need to be worn in stores from now on.
For the full list of everwhere you need to wear a face mask, click here
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