London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Sep 11, 2025

Masks 'expected' to be worn in shops after 19 July

Masks 'expected' to be worn in shops after 19 July

The government has said it "expects and recommends" shoppers to wear face masks from Monday, but they will not be required by law.

Social distancing will also not be a requirement and people working from home can start to return to work.

The new guidance leaves firms to decide what their safety policies will be from 19 July when Covid rules are lifted.

But it was attacked by employers and unions, with the TUC calling it "a recipe for rising infections".

General Secretary of the shop workers' union Usdaw, Paddy Lillis, told the BBC he is "very disappointed that the government has not consulted broadly with unions and employers".

"It's a real mess," he said.

"Instead of having the force of law behind them, [it] will create confusion and put more shop workers at risk," Mr Lillis added.

In its advice, the government says: "Face coverings are no longer required by law. However, the government expects and recommends that people continue to wear a face covering in crowded, enclosed spaces."

It said this would apply to offices, factories, shops, construction sites, and close-contact services such as hairdressers and beauticians.

It said it expected any return to work to be "gradual" and asked employers to continue to use measures to reduce potential Covid spread, such as risk assessments, thorough cleaning and ensuring adequate ventilation.

However, much of the language in the guidance involves "encouraging" employers, staff and customers to "consider" measures which are already widespread, such as hand-washing, sanitiser use and contactless payments.

The TUC's general secretary, Frances O'Grady, said the guidelines "have been published without proper consultation with unions or employers, just two full working days before restrictions end on Monday".


"Instead of providing clear and consistent guidance on how to keep staff safe at work, the government is abandoning workers and employers," she said.

Employers body the Institute of Directors said the guidance "fails to inspire confidence in the return to work".

Dr Roger Barker, policy director at the Institute of Directors, said: "Like everybody else, businesses across the country having been awaiting 'freedom day' with bated breath.

"But instead we have had a series of mixed messages and patchwork requirements from government that have dampened that enthusiasm," he said.


The British Retail Consortium, which represents big chains, said violence and abuse against shop workers had been on the rise during the pandemic, adding that "colleagues cannot be put in the firing line because of this change in policy".

Chief executive of the trade body Helen Dickenson said retailers will be asking customers to be "considerate to those around them" when choosing whether to wear a face covering.

Waterstones is one of the first major chains to state a firm policy on mask wearing and will encourage customers to wear them after 19 July.

The beauty industry trade body Babtac said that they will be working with members to provide more clarity.

Head of Babtac, Lesley Blair, told the BBC that while it may no longer be law, the group "would certainly encourage" their members to continue to wear masks for the time being, especially when working in close proximity to customers.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Court Staff Cover Up Banksy Image of Judge Beating a Protester
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
Elon Musk Poised to Become First Trillionaire Under Ambitious Tesla Pay Plan
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
Burning the Minister’s House Helped Protesters to Win Justice: Prabowo Fires Finance Minister in Wake of Indonesia Protests
Brazil Braces for Fallout from Bolsonaro Trial by corrupted judge
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
Nearly 40 Years Later: Nike Changes the Legendary Slogan Just Do It
Generations Born After 1939 Unlikely to Reach Age One Hundred, New Study Finds
End to a four-year manhunt in New Zealand: the father who abducted his children to the forests was killed, the three siblings were found
Germany Suspends Debt Rules, Funnels €500 Billion Toward Military and Proxy War Strategy
EU Prepares for War
BMW Eyes Growth in China with New All‑Electric Neue Klasse Lineup
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
US Justice Department Launches Criminal Mortgage-Fraud Probe into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Escalating Drug Trafficking and Violence in Latin America: A Growing Crisis
US and Taiwanese Defence Officials Held Secret Talks in Alaska
Report: Secret SEAL Team 6 Mission in North Korea Ordered by Trump in 2019 Ended in Failure
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Florida Murder Case: The Adelson Family, the Killing of Dan Markel, and the Trial of Donna Adelson
×