COVID-19 SPECIAL
FACE MASKS PETE CHEEMA, CEO, SCOTTISH GROCERS’ FEDERATION
COPS AND ROBBERS: THE GREAT FACE MASK FURORE CONFUSION REIGNED IN SCOTLAND LAST WEEK AS FIRST MINISTER NICOLA STURGEON ANNOUNCED THAT WEARING FACE MASKS IN STORES WOULD BECOME MANDATORY, DESPITE CONCERNS OVER INSTORE CRIME, BUT FAILED TO SPELL OUT SEVERAL KEY DETAILS. SGF CEO PETE CHEEMA CLARIFIES THE ISSUES.
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espite the Scottish Grocers’ Federation’s sustained and strenuous efforts to ensure that the wearing of face coverings in local retailing outlets was left voluntary due to significant concerns around in-store crime, Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon nonetheless announced that face coverings will indeed become mandatory in retail settings from this Friday (10 July) in Scotland. This follows a similar requirement to wear face coverings in public transport from 22 June. Unfortunately, the official announcement failed to address some key issues, not least of which was whether it was compulsory for shop staff as a well as their customers to wear face coverings and whether local retailers would be responsible for enforcing the legislation in-store. In the aftermath of the announcement, the SGF was inundated by calls and emails from retailers asking for clarification. We immediately contacted the Scottish Government to seek these clarifications.
10 I SLRMAG.CO.UK / ISSUE 12 / WEDNESDAY 8TH JULY 2020
