Woolworths customers confused over mask rule in store
Woolworths shoppers have expressed their concerns after witnessing staff members not wearing face masks in stores, after the supermarket giant announced it would be encouraging staff and customers to cover up.
Last week, Woolworths Group announced it would be “strongly encouraged” for staff and customers to wear a face mask while shopping for their groceries in NSW, ACT and parts of Queensland.
The idea was to have staff members “lead by example”, according to Woolworths Group CEO Brad Banducci in areas which are coronavirus hotspots.
However, some customers were not impressed with the lack of face coverings among team members.
“None of your staff wore masks today at Gordon, while most of the customers did,” one woman wrote on the Woolworths Facebook page.
“Let’s all do our parts and stop the spread of this virus. Put masks on your people!”
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Another customer explained at a Woolworths on the NSW north coast only three staff members were wearing masks.
“The young staff member at the self checkout said she did not know where to get one and had not been told about it,” the customer said.
“It’s none of your business if the staff aren’t wearing masks it is not compulsory to wear a mask so it is up to the discretion of the worker,” someone fired back at the customer on Facebook.
Masks are not mandatory in NSW, the ACT or Queensland, and while it is encouraged to wear them, Woolworths confirmed it is not store policy in those states.
Woolworths did say last week the company would be providing face coverings to team members within the Woolworths Group, which also consists of Woolworths Metro Food Stores, BIG W, Dan Murphy’s, BWS and ALH Hotels.
Woolworths’ act of encouragement was announced last week in response to the increase in coronavirus cases in ‘hotspots’.
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