The main Fox Business Flash headlines are here. See what FoxBusiness.com is clicking.
NEW YORK – When the father of the southern supermarket chain Winn-Dixie said he wasn’t going to require customers to wear masks to protect themselves against the spread of the coronavirus, the response was brutal, with some loyal customers promising on social media. never buy there again.
Days later, Winn-Dixie reversed course and said it would require masks in states or localities that had no requirements.
Monday’s turnaround followed a much-publicized reversal last month by AMC. Less than a day after the nation’s largest movie theater chain said it would defer to local governments on whether to wear masks, a new message appeared in response to the backlash from social media: customers who don’t wear Masks will not be admitted or allowed to stay.
In this Saturday, May 30, 2020 file photo, people in protective masks line up to enter a Target in Boston amid the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo / Michael Dwyer, File)
CORONAVIRUS CASE RECORD NUMBERS IN EACH GLOBAL REGION: REALLY
Even as pockets of resistance remain, the tide seems to be turning masks. According to a survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, three out of four Americans are in favor of requiring people to cover their faces while they are away from home. Even President Donald Trump has shifted his stance after months of downplaying the importance of masks and starting a partisan culture war on the subject.
“Whether you like the mask or not, they have an impact,” he said earlier this week.
As the number of new cases of the virus has increased in a large number of states, particularly Florida, Texas, California, and Arizona, national chains such as Walmart, Target, and, more recently, McDonald’s are issuing masking mandates, as the Health officials repeatedly advise that covering your nose and mouth be one of the most effective ways to reduce infections: in itself, a reversal of messages prior to the start of the pandemic.
“I think brands should pay attention to the new consumer activist,” said Stefan Pollack, president of his own Los Angeles-based marketing and public relations firm. “Brands can no longer afford to remain neutral.”
Leslie Fay, 56, a service coordinator for a former home services company, said she was about to boycott Winn-Dixie when she learned of her initial decision not to require masks.
“It took me in the wrong direction to know that they were ignoring their employees and customers,” said the Clearwater, Florida resident. “I’m glad they reversed it.”
Southeastern Grocers, Winn-Dixie’s parent company, said it initially rejected a mask mandate because it did not want to put its workers in the position of police buyers. But he realized that he must pay attention to the well-being of his clients, workers and communities. Winn-Dixie’s 500 stores are located in Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and Georgia, in addition to Florida, all states that are grappling with rising coronavirus cases.
“We know that masks play an important role in stopping the spread of this virus, and we update our policy to reflect that,” said Joe Caldwell, a spokesman for Southeastern in an emailed statement.
In this Sunday April 5, 2020 file photo, Joel Porro and Lizz Hernandez wear protective gloves and masks after shopping at a Walmart Supercenter in Miami. (David Santiago / Miami Herald via AP, File)
HUNDREDS OF TEXAS BAR OWNERS COMMIT DEFIANCE TO THE ABBOTT ORDER
AMC Theaters CEO Adam Aron said last month that it was clear from the response that “we didn’t go far enough in wearing masks.”
“We think it is absolutely crucial that we listen to our guests,” said Aron.
The cascade of major retailers now instituting mask mandates has given small businesses previously reluctant to do the same, says Michael Hicks, an economist at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.
Still, small businesses cannot afford to enforce national policies and are more sensitive to the prevailing sentiment in their regions. And there’s still a lot of buyer resistance, with viral videos of mask rule challengers continuing to pop up on social media.
“There has been a trend that has changed in favor of wearing masks,” said Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail. “But there are people whose minds still won’t change because of this. It is easy to establish a policy. It is much more difficult to enforce it and have its workers on the front line. ”
In fact, Dollar Tree and Family Dollar’s father went in the opposite direction, loosening his mask restrictions. Initially, it had started to force shoppers to wear masks along with vendors and store employees, but then changed its policy last week to “apply” for facial covers in stores where there is no state or local mandate.
A Dollar Tree Inc. spokesman did not respond to emails from The Associated Press, but Saunders believes the company realized that its core staff would not be sufficient to monitor the rules. Others think he wanted to divert Walmart and other anti-masking customers.
In this Friday, May 15, 2020 file photo, a woman in a mask, left, walks past a Dollar Tree, while another woman waits in line to shop at the Chicago store. (AP Photo / Nam Y. Huh, File)
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE MOVE BY CLICKING HERE
A handful of independent stores and restaurants across the country are tasked with putting up posters that offer unmasked customers an excuse to circumvent local rules by pointing to federal health privacy laws that prohibit a company from asking about medical conditions.
“If we see him without a mask, we will assume he has a medical condition and welcome him to support our business,” says the sign at Casey’s restaurant in Roseburg, Oregon, which raised more than $ 14,000 in a GoFundMe campaign launched. . in late May to fight legal fines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for reopening his restaurant outside the governor’s orders.
Casey’s owners, Lance and Laurie Mounts, could not immediately be reached for comment.
Meanwhile, nearly 7 in 10 supermarket workers said their employers are not applying mask mandates in stores, according to a survey of 4,000 supermarket workers June 22-26 by the International Union of Workers. United Food and Commercial Association, which represents supermarket workers and meat packers, among others.
Mike Johnson, manager of Tim’s Cajun kitchen in Huntsville, Alabama, where he has worked for 19 years, said he is flexible with the mask mandate across the state.
Before the mandate began last week, approximately 50% of clients wore face shields; now, it is up to 85%. You don’t feel comfortable kicking out customers without a mask, as most go there for their limited lunch breaks and have other options.
“We would prefer customers to wear a mask, but if they don’t have it, they can come in and sit down,” he said.
READ MORE ABOUT FOX BUSINESS BY CLICKING HERE
