Masks in shops could create ‘flashpoints’

Making face coverings compulsory in Scotland’s shops could create more “frictions and flashpoints” in stores if staff have to enforce rules on wearing them, retail chiefs have warned.

The Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) said shops are already concerned about a “growth in incidents of abuse towards staff” and warned making coverings such as masks mandatory could exacerbate this.

Nicola Sturgeon is set to make an announcement on the issue tomorrow.

The Scottish Greens said shoppers should be required to cover their faces inside stores, as they already are in 50 countries including Germany, Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Korea.

Party co-leader Alison Johnstone said: “Face coverings help save lives, yet, in images and footage of the shops reopening this week, the majority of people appear not to be wearing masks. Many supermarkets still haven’t provided coverings for their staff.”

She said it “makes no sense” for face coverings to be compulsory on public transport, but not in stores.

She added: “Germany made face coverings mandatory in April. Scotland needs to do the same to protect our shop workers and the wider public.”

But the SRC warned of the possible consequences of such a move, with head of policy Ewan MacDonald-Russell saying the consortium supports the current stance that “the voluntary wearing of face coverings by customers can make a positive contribution in conjunction with using hand sanitiser and maintaining physical distancing etiquette in stores”.

But he added: “If the wearing of face coverings is to become compulsory – perhaps in tandem with a reduction in the two-metre physical distancing rule – then putting the burden of enforcement on shop workers risks creating new frictions or flashpoints with customers.

“It should be the authorities and not retail workers who should be responsible for enforcing any new mandatory approach.”