Concerns over face masks in Eastbourne supermarkets

I was pleased to see Annemarie Field’s piece in last week’s edition of the Eastbourne Herald click here to read.

I have a perspective I would like to add to this account of what Eastbourne supermarkets are doing to protect their customers.

During the first lockdown I noticed that in Tesco in particular there were often customers and staff not wearing masks and after an initial period no real control on the numbers of customers entering the shop.

The Co-op is doing better. I have called people out on this.

I have also raised this with the staff.

The response from the customers (sadly usually young men) not wearing masks was a shrug. The staff variously have said to me that their management had told them they should not even approach people to ask them to put on a mask.

I had one staff member come up to me as I left the shop to say I should mind my own business and just look after my own health. I pointed out that I was not wearing a mask to protect myself but to protect others and this attitude demonstrated a lack of respect for customers, particularly the elderly.

Another time I mentioned the ongoing lack of masks to a staff member he told me he thought this was completely overblown, masks made no difference and cited ’evidence’ of this. After the first instance I contacted central Tesco management to register my concerns. A member of their PR team phoned me and listened to my views but said they had no power to ask customers to comply – that would be up to the police. I pointed out that many retail businesses insist that customers wear a mask and use sanitiser before they enter the premises.

Now with the third lockdown and rapidly increasing infections rate I thought the situation might improve. But a couple of days ago I encountered two young male customers in the shop without masks and asked them why they were not wearing them. Again a shrug. I raised it with the staff member on the till. Stony silence.

I really do not think this is good enough. Even if people think they are in no danger or that it is all overreaction or some kind of conspiracy/hoax, the least they can do is to cover their mouths (and noses) while inside public places out of respect for others, especially the elderly.

I am not elderly myself but so disappointed with what is happening locally.