London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Aug 22, 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
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
Finnish MP Dies by Suicide in Parliament Building
Outrage in the Tennis World After Jannik Sinner’s Withdrawal Storm
William and Kate Are Moving House – and the New Neighbors Were Evicted
Class Action Lawsuit Against Volkswagen: Steering Wheel Switches Cause Accidents
Taylor Swift on the Way to the Super Bowl? All the Clues Stirring Up Fans
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Apple Expands Social Media Presence in China With RedNote Account Ahead of iPhone 17 Launch
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Cambridge Dictionary Adds 'Skibidi,' 'Delulu,' and 'Tradwife' Amid Surge of Online Slang
Bill Barr Testifies No Evidence Implicated Trump in Epstein Case; DOJ Set to Release Records
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
The CEO Who Replaced 80% of Employees for the AI Revolution: "I Would Do It Again"
Emails Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Character.ai Bets on Future of AI Companionship
China Ramps Up Tax Crackdown on Overseas Investments
Japanese Office Furniture Maker Expands into Bomb Shelter Market
Intel Shares Surge on Possible U.S. Government Investment
Hurricane Erin Threatens U.S. East Coast with Dangerous Surf
EU Blocks Trade Statement Over Digital Rule Dispute
EU Sends Record Aid as Spain Battles Wildfires
JPMorgan Plans New Canary Wharf Tower
Zelenskyy and his allies say they will press Trump on security guarantees
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Escalating Clashes in Serbia as Anti-Government Protests Spread Nationwide
The Drought in Britain and the Strange Request from the Government to Delete Old Emails
Category 5 Hurricane in the Caribbean: 'Catastrophic Storm' with Winds of 255 km/h
"No, Thanks": The Mathematical Genius Who Turned Down 1.5 Billion Dollars from Zuckerberg
The surprising hero, the ugly incident, and the criticism despite victory: "Liverpool’s defense exposed in full"
Digital Humans Move Beyond Sci-Fi: From Virtual DJs to AI Customer Agents
YouTube will start using AI to guess your age. If it’s wrong, you’ll have to prove it
×