Shop defends not tackling its customers who failed to wear masks
A RETAILER told a customer who complained about a large number of people shopping without face masks that it was not appropriate to challenge their behaviour.
It has been compulsory to wear a face covering in shops and certain other enclosed public spaces since August 10.
Breaches could lead to a fixed penalty notice of £60, but the regulation is not enforced.
Earlier this week the Belfast Telegraph reported that the PSNI has yet to fine anyone for not wearing a face covering.
Now one retailer admitted that they “do not feel it appropriate to challenge” patrons without masks. The Centra store in Clogher, Co Tyrone, was responding to an individual who contacted them online to say they “counted 10 customers inside not wearing masks”.
She was told: “We understand your concerns during these somewhat stressful times. While as a business we promote and support the use of face masks indoors, we do not feel it appropriate to challenge those customers who have made a conscious decision not to wear them.
“A patron may have a very valid reason/exemption for not doing so. The response from such a patron can and has been in the past quite challenging for our staff to deal with.
“Our staff are all wearing masks/visors and we do offer disposable masks free of charge to those patrons who have forgotten their own.”
The position was backed by Centra’s parent company, the Musgrave Group, who said: “There is no current requirement for shops to enforce the mandatory wearing of face coverings for customers whilst in-store.
“There are also some customers who are exempt from wearing face coverings, the personal reasons for which are not always obvious.
“We fully support the requirement for shoppers to wear face coverings whilst in-store and have issued communication support materials to stores, including posters and Facebook posts, to encourage customer compliance with the 10th August mandate from the Northern Ireland Executive.”
Last week top Oxford academic Professor Carl Heneghan told the Belfast Telegraph he believed the evidence used to impose the mandatory wearing of masks in public spaces is “poor quality”.
Responsibility for enforcement has caused some confusion but Glyn Roberts, chief executive of Retail NI, said “the advice is clear”.
He added: “Retailers and staff are not required to police or enforce it, and while the staff are not legally required to wear face coverings some retailers have instructed their staff to wear face coverings, it’s very much up to the individual business.
“But ultimately this lies with the shopper. It is their legal requirement for them to wear a face cover unless they have an underlying medical condition, so we can’t be any clearer than that, it is up to the individual to make sure they are complying with all of the regulations.”
Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd said: “Face coverings have been mandatory in Northern Ireland for just over a week and, in that time, retailer groups and representatives are reporting approximately 80 to 90% compliance, which is a significant step in the right direction.
“Inevitably, the first steps in encouraging compliance will fall to the public themselves and to transport operators and businesses.
“Police will continue to work with transport operators and businesses, directing resources to areas of identified need and will continue to do so on the basis of the four ‘E’s — Engage, Explain, Encourage and Enforce.”