UK police face masks
© European Press Agency
A police force has announced they won't crack down on shoppers not wearing masks in stores after retailers also said their staff would not intervene. Devon and Cornwall police said its officers don't have time to respond to calls about the face coverings, unless they involve a public order offence.

From Friday, masks will be mandatory for people going to shops and other enclosed places in England, with £100 fines in place for non-compliance.

Scotland imposed a facemask rule for shop-goers on July 10, while the devolved governments of Northern Ireland and Wales are still keeping it under review.

The move by Devon and Cornwall police comes amid criticism that Downing Street's latest coronavirus measure is confusing and that shop workers cannot be expected to enforce it.

Alison Hernandez, police and crime commissioner for Devon and Cornwall, was in Truro yesterday meeting with 'street marshalls' who are helping in the policing effort during the pandemic.

Ms Hernandez said: 'The expectation is that they (police officers) will only come if there is disorder or violence or something associated with it, they are not going to come to every phone call that someone is not wearing a mask.

'Partly that will help with the street marshall teams because that will help to encourage people to follow the guidelines as well.'

She added that they'd come up with the idea of 'street marshalls' because having armed response officers patrolling beaches 'looks a bit policey.'

The move by Devon and Cornwall police comes amid criticism that Downing Street's latest coronavirus measure is confusing and that shop workers cannot be expected to enforce it.

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Andrew Goodacre, CEO of the British Independent Retailers Association, told The Telegraph: 'This is not the role of retailers and we would be concerned any such enforcement may lead to a further increase in the number of threats and abuse shop workers in the UK are currently experiencing.'

A survey by the Institute of Customer Service has found that three-quarters of those in the service industry said they'd faced abuse from customers since the virus outbreak.

And more than a quarter reported that they'd been physically attacked while working.