The parent company of the southern supermarket chain Winn-Dixie said Monday that it is reversing its policy and will now require customers to wear masks in its stores to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
Southeastern Grocers Inc. said the requirement will take effect next Monday. Initially, the company rejected a mask mandate, saying it did not want to put its workers in the position of having to ban customers.
But in a statement, the Jacksonville, Florida-based company said its position had “evolved” and that it wanted to emphasize more clearly the importance of the safety of its customers, workers and communities. However, the company said that state and federal officials should be responsible for issuing mask requirements.
Target has joined a list of the nation’s largest retailers that will require customers to wear masks as COVID-19 spike cases.
“We will continue to work with our peers in the retail industry to advocate for this sensitive mandate to become law to remove the burden on employers and their heroic front-line associates,” the company said.
Walmart, the Kroger supermarket chain and Kohl’s department store are among other retailers that have required customers to wear masks in their stores, fulfilling the role of states and the federal government that have not issued such mandates on an issue that has been highly politicized by President Donald Trump and many of his ardent supporters.
Walmart will have a “health ambassador” near the entrance to “remind the unmasked of our new requirements.”
