Starbucks (SBUX) said last week that it will require customers to wear facial coverings or masks in all of its 9,000 company-owned US stores beginning Wednesday. Costco (COST) began requiring its members to wear masks in stores beginning in May.
Best Buy’s new policy goes into effect Wednesday and applies to all of the company’s approximately 1,000 stores across the country. It will provide face coverings for customers who don’t have one, and small children and customers unable to wear a mask for health reasons can shop without one.
More than 3.3 million people have now tested positive for the coronavirus nationwide and more than 130,000 have died. Cases are climbing in much of the country and many cities and states are reimposing restrictions to contain new outbreaks, including mask requirements in public settings.
On Monday, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon told Bloomberg that a mandate requiring customers to wear masks in the company’s stores is something “that’s on our minds.” Right now, Walmart customers must wear a mask before entering one of 3,700 Walmart locations “where either a governor or someone else has mandated it,” according to McMillon.