Strong encouragement
Whole Foods to provide face masks for shoppers
Amazon-owned Whole Foods is giving grocery shoppers free single-use masks at all its stores, starting this week.
In keeping with the chain’s “request” that all shoppers wear masks inside stores to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, the company’s 500 stores will make the masks available at entrances to customers who lack their own face covering, the company announced in a blog post.
Amazon plans to provide more than 100 million masks to its extensive commercial network, according to the post.
“We have enough mask inventory to cover our entire operations and stores network, and we are requiring everyone working in our facilities to take and use them,” the company stated. Whole Foods already had been providing masks to employees.
Amazon operates fulfillment centers in Chattanooga and Charleston, Tennessee, and operates a Whole Foods grocery at 2 North Shore in North Chattanooga.
Whole Foods’ move to provide, but not require, masks for shoppers comes days after Costco announced it will require shoppers to wear masks in its warehouses starting Monday. The Costco announcement prompted blowback on social media from some customers upset by the requirement.
Other local grocers have stopped short of a mandate, saying they “strongly encourage” shoppers to wear face masks.
Large-scale food chains, including Walmart/Sam’s Club, Publix and Kroger, have announced facemask requirements and other safety measures for store employees, but have yet to issue mask requirements for shoppers.
Last month, Fresh Foods, which operates a grocery store on Gunbarrel Road, began requiring shoppers to wear a mask before entering the store.
Public-health officials continue to encourage the public to wear face masks in all public settings.
Nonetheless, a survey of 18 Chattanooga area supermarkets by the Times Free Press in mid April found less than 42% of grocery shoppers were wearing masks while inside supermarket stores.