Kohl's to require shoppers wear masks starting Monday at stores nationwide, following Walmart, Sam's Club, Kroger

Kelly Tyko, USA TODAY
·2 min read

Kohl's will require shoppers wear face coverings at its more than 1,100 stores nationwide starting Monday, July 20.

The Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin-based retailer announced its new mask policy Wednesday, hours after Walmart, Sam's Club and Kroger announced they would mandate masks.

"As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, face covering mandates have grown to apply to approximately 70% of our store base, therefore we’ve made the decision to take a consistent approach across our entire store fleet," Kohl's said in its statement Wednesday. "Beginning Monday, July 20, we will require all customers to wear a face covering while shopping in our stores."

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Kohl's employees have been required to wear masks since stores started reopening May 4.

"Customers will see signage at the front of the store to inform them of our face covering policy," Kohl's said in its statement. "Store associates have been trained on the new health and safety measures in place, and we have associate greeters at the entrance of each store to welcome shoppers and remind them to wear masks."

Kohl's says it will continue to offer its drive-up curbside pickup.

Best Buy, Starbucks and Panera Bread started requiring consumers nationwide wear masks Wednesday.

More companies are making face coverings a requirement as viral videos of shoppers' tirades and confrontations over being asked to wear them during the coronavirus pandemic erupt. The coronavirus causes the disease COVID-19.

Local governments can decide what safety measures to impose on businesses, but individual businesses can institute further restrictions. Many governors instituted or renewed orders requiring people to wear face coverings in public.

Contributing: Sarah Hauer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Follow USA TODAY reporter Kelly Tyko on Twitter: @KellyTyko

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mask mandates: Kohl's will require face coverings starting Monday