Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Marks & Spencer, Aldi, Primark and John Lewis have joined Waterstones and Sainsbury’s in asking customers and staff to continue wearing face masks in shops in England beyond 19 July despite an easing of coronavirus safety restrictions. From next week it will no longer be mandatory for people to wear masks in shops in England. However, the government has said it “expects and recommends that people continue to wear a face covering in crowded, enclosed, spaces”. Businesses must also carry out health and safety risk assessments, provide adequate ventilation and turn away those with coronavirus symptoms. Many retailers are continuing with at least some of the existing measures because of their duty towards the safety of staff and because most customers say they feel safer shopping with masks and other precautions in place. Mask wearing continues to be mandatory in shops in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. A Tesco spokesperson said it was asking customers and staff “to be on the safe side” and “encouraging” them to wear masks. The company added that other measures such as limiting customer numbers in stores and separate entrances and exits would also continue. Retailers said they would continue using perspex screens at checkouts, offering sanitiser and doing extra cleaning in order to help protect staff and shoppers. Primark will also be reopening all its changing rooms, most of which have been closed for months. Asda said it would also provide face masks for those that wished to wear one. Morrisons said it would also “encourage” staff and customers to wear a mask and maintain social distancing. It added that, like Asda, it would hand out free face coverings for those who needed them. A Tesco spokesperson said: “Since the start of the pandemic, we have focused on ensuring everyone can get the food they need in a safe environment. Having listened to our customers and colleagues, we will continue to have safety measures in place in our stores; these include limiting the number of people in store at any time, protective screens at every checkout, hand sanitiser stations and regular cleaning.” John Lewis said that while it recommended wearing a face covering, “the decision over whether to do so or not, when in our shops [in England], will be for each individual to take, based on their own judgment”. The company said it would be retaining screens in front of tills, hand-sanitising stations and store-cleaning measures put in place since the beginning of the pandemic. Pizza Hut said it would be restarting its salad bar and lunchtime buffet as it took advantage of the looser rules to reintroduce popular self-service options that have been closed for over a year. The restaurant chain said 5 million people ordered the buffet in 2019, and its absence had been mentioned 18,000 time on its social media channels over the past year so it was expecting the service’s return to be welcomed by customers. Kathryn Austin, the chief marketing officer for Pizza Hut, said: “The safety of our guests and team members remains paramount and so we ask that all our customers act responsibly when dining with us.” The company could not say whether it would ask diners to continue to wear masks when not at their table.