The Fresh Market grocery stores are now requiring all customers to wear face coverings before entering its stores.
The chain made the announcement in an email to customers on Saturday, followed by a news release in which it said the policy will be going into effect on Tuesday.
The new policy is in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest recommendations, according to the release.
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“In order to help keep our communities safe, wearing face coverings is a necessary measure in public settings where physical separation is difficult,” said James Ball, director of food safety and quality assurance at The Fresh Market. “There is growing evidence that more individuals than previously thought may be carriers of coronavirus but do not show symptoms of the illness.
”Wearing a face covering may reduce the spread of the virus by asymptomatic individuals. Since it is impossible to know who may be asymptomatic, it is prudent for everyone to wear a covering. The goal is to reduce the virus transmission to keep everyone as safe as possible.”
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This follows other safety measures taken by the company, including mandatory face coverings for its employees, contactless credit card checkout, physical distancing, and designated 8-9 a.m. shopping hours for seniors and at-risk shoppers.
The store has 159 locations nationwide, including several in the Tampa Bay area.
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