Supermarkets should be making a greater effort to employ security to ensure customers are wearing face coverings in their stores, according to Andy Burnham.
The mayor of Greater Manchester has written to four unnamed major chains calling for a ‘much stricter approach’ to enforcing the restrictions.
Face coverings have been compulsory in enclosed public spaces since July 24, with customers expected to wear them before entering and keeping them on until they leave.
Anyone who fails to follow the rules could be fined up to £100, or £50 if they pay within 14 days.
But Mr Burnham said it was ‘unfair’ to leave the enforcement to the police, and called on the supermarket chains to ‘play their part’.
He told a weekly media briefing on Thursday: “We want to see a much stricter approach to enforcing the wearing of face coverings
“When people arrive at the supermarket and if people refuse to do so then they are also asked to leave.
“I’m not asking the checkout staff or people working in the store to do this, I’m asking supermarkets to have security staff to do this.
“We need to see the supermarkets stepping forward and realising the situation that we have got in Greater Manchester.”
Mr Burnham had been asked about growing reports that pubs and restaurants were failing to take customer details to feed into the national test and trace system.
He said the issue of ‘patchy implementation’ of government guidelines could also be found in supermarkets across the region.
“Let's remember all of the supermarkets have made a lot of money throughout this whole situation,” added Mr Burnham.
“I dont think it's too much to ask to put that security presence onsite, and I think it’s unfair to push that off to the police.
“If [supermarkets] say they can’t afford to do it everywhere, well I’m saying you should be doing it in Greater Manchester and other areas that are facing restrictions.”
