This week, wearing a face mask inside shops and supermarkets will be compulsory when new measures come into place on Friday, July 24.
This means when venturing into an Asda, Aldi, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons or other store, you will need to wear a face mask or covering to help stop the spread of coronavirus.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson also said that the rule applies in any enclosed space when social distancing isn’t possible.
After announcing the new rule, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it measure would "give people more confidence to shop safely and enhance protections for those who work in shops".
The government announced that shoppers who ignore the rules could face a fine of up to £100. But it has left some people wondering who is responsible for ensuring the rule isn’t broken, and how likely it is that you will end up with a fine if you ignore it.
Last week, The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said it would only intervene as a "last resort", reports KentLive.
Martin Hewitt, chair of the NPCC, said: “We will expect retailers to manage entry to their stores and compliance with the law while customers are inside, with police involvement as a last resort.
Enter your postcode to find out the latest weather forecast in your area:
"As with other coronavirus regulations, we will follow an approach of engaging, explaining, encouraging and only enforcing where encouragement has been unsuccessful.
“Experience shows that compliance with the regulations to manage the spread of coronavirus is high and this must continue to be a joint effort between the retail sector, customers, government and police.
"This is particularly important as demand on the police increases as the lockdown eases.”
