Now even KMART tells customers to wear face masks after shoppers were ‘strongly encouraged’ to do so at Bunnings and Woolworths
- Kmart will urge customers to wear face masks while visiting stores across NSW
- Not compulsory, but will ‘strongly encourage’ customers to cover their faces
- Bunnings and Woolworths implemented similar health advice this week
Kmart will urge customers to wear face masks while visiting stores across New South Wales in a bid to stem the spread of coronavirus.
The brand will not make masks compulsory, but will ‘strongly encourage’ customers to cover their faces before entering stores.
John Gualtieri, the retail director of Kmart Australia & New Zealand, said the message was about keeping customers and employees as safe as possible during ‘these challenging times’.
‘We have applied our learnings, adapted and updated the ways to safely shop with us in store… we’re strongly encouraging team members and customers to wear face coverings.’
The decision comes after Bunnings and Woolworths implemented similar health advice for the safety of all customers and staff.
Woolworths Group, which owns Dan Murphy’s and BWS alcohol stores as well as the grocery chain, will provide all staff with face masks to wear while serving customers.
Kmart will urge customers to wear face masks while visiting stores across New South Wales in a bid to stem the spread of coronavirus
A bartender at Jah Bar Dee Why Beach poses for a photo in her face mask as the premier urges people to wear them in public
But a spokesman told NCA NewsWire staff would not be policing the use of masks in stores, and customers could refuse if they chose to do so.
Bunnings Chief Operating Officer Deb Poole had a similar message, but added the company would ‘greatly appreciate customers getting on board to help protect everyone’.
The decision comes amid further untraceable cases of COVID-19 in New South Wales.
There have been seven cases in the last week alone where NSW Health has not been able to identify a clear source of the infection.
The concerning new trend prompted Premier Gladys Berejiklian to backtrack on previous advice that masks were not necessary.
Patrons wearing face masks are seen using hand sanitiser and registering their check in details at The Bavarian restaurant at the Manly Wharf
On Sunday, Ms Berejiklian said authorities would not make mask usage mandatory in NSW, but revised current recommendations to address four specific circumstances.
Masks should be worn by public-facing employees such as hospitality or grocery workers, worshippers and residents of suburbs near COVID-19 clusters, as well as in situations where social distancing is impossible.
‘We have been talking about masks for several weeks but obviously the persistent situation in Victoria gives us cause for alarm in terms of the potential for further seeding in NSW, and it is about risk mitigation strategy,’ Ms Berejiklian said.
‘We’re going to the next stage of assessing what else and how else we can decrease the risk and break the current chain coming through NSW.’
Ms Berejiklian said she will be heeding the advice of health authorities in her daily life, calling wearing a mask ‘the fourth line of defence’.
‘I want to stress it is not compulsory, but it is a strong recommendation from NSW Health, given where we are in the pandemic, given the risk posed from Victoria and given the rate of community transmission in New South Wales,’ she said.
‘I myself, when I next go grocery shopping, will be wearing a mask.’
NSW residents are being recommended to wear face masks in public as coronavirus case numbers continue to rise. Pictured: a shopper wears a face mask in Woolworths in Sydney on Friday
A person wearing a face mask in front of a Woolworths shop in Sydney