asda queue

All Asda store colleagues will now wear a face covering unless they have a medical exemption

Asda has announced it is tightening its Covid-19 safety measures, including employing 1,000 new safety marshals and making it compulsory for store staff to wear masks.

The move, which follows prime minister Boris Johnson’s announcement yesterday of new lockdown restrictions, includes the creation of a new army of Asda safety marshals stationed at the front of every store and in the aisles of larger stores.

Asda said the marshals would be on hand to help customers with safety queries as well as “reiterate” mandatory guidelines on the wearing of face coverings and maintaining social distancing. 

Customers who do not have a covering will be offered a pack of disposable masks that they can pay for as they complete their shopping.

 

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Asda also said today that following yesterday’s announcements by Johnson, all Asda store colleagues in England, Wales and Scotland would now wear a covering while at work unless they had a medical exemption.

Like many supermarkets, Asda had previously urged all colleagues to wear a covering.

“We know that safety remains a key priority for our customers and we will continue to do all we can to keep them and our colleagues safe in store, as we have since the start of the pandemic,” said Adsa COO Anthony Hemmerdinger.

“These additional measures will make our stores an even safer place to shop and work during the coming months.”

On Monday, Morrisons announced its own moves to tighten safety measures as the UK experiences a surge in coronavirus cases.

The retailer said it had reintroduced door marshals, first used when the pandemic hit in March, at its stores from the end of last week, to limit shopper numbers and ensure social distancing.