Dollar Tree Quietly Backtracks Mandatory Mask Policy for All Shoppers

Dollar Tree has quietly backtracked on its mandatory mask policy for all shoppers, which it [...]

By Stephen Andrew

Dollar Tree has quietly backtracked on its mandatory mask policy for all shoppers, which it enacted only days prior. According to Forbes, on July 8 the company — which also owns Family Dollar — issued a mandate stating that it would be requiring "all Associates, customers, and vendors to wear cloth face coverings when inside our stores." However, it has now partially reversed course on this policy.

Now, Dollar Tree says that it will not enforce a mask policy at its stores, but will still follow any city and state "ordinances" where applicable. The new policy is worded as follows: "In accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we are requiring all Associates and vendors to wear face coverings when inside our stores. We also request that our customers wear face coverings, and require face coverings where required by state or local ordinance." Forbes noted that it has reached out to the company for a comment, but at the time of this writing it had not reported that a Dollar Tree spokesperson has responded.

Dollar Tree's move comes as Walmart — the world's largest retailer — has now announced that it will begin requiring all customers to wear masks inside its stores. In a statement, Walmart said, "As the number of confirmed cases has spiked in communities across the country recently, so too have the number and types of face covering mandates being implemented." The company went on to add, "To help bring consistency across stores and clubs, we will require all shoppers to wear a face covering starting Monday, July 20. This will give us time to inform customers and members of the changes, post signage and train associates on the new protocols."

Walmart's new policy will also apply to the Sam's Club stores. The company eventually clarified that many of its stores are located in areas where masks are required by city, county, or state mandates. "Currently about 65 percent of our more than 5,000 stores and clubs are located in areas where there is some form of government mandate on face coverings," Walmart said. The mask policy is not the only new change Walmart is making, as the company also announced it will be hiring "health ambassadors" to remind customers of the local guidelines regarding mask-wearing, as well as the company policy, per Fox News. The health ambassadors will be utilized in all stores.

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