National Supermarket chains including Tesco, Asda and Sainbury’s have announced strengthening their policies to ensure customer compliance with COVID-19 safety measures.

Tesco, Waitrose and Asda have all announced that they will not allow entry to customers who do not wear face coverings unless they are medically exempt.

While, Sainsbury’s have said they will challenge those who are not wearing a mask, following trials that showed customers complied more when asked to wear masks by security guards at the door, it said.

In addition, some stores have said for customers to shop alone to help with physical distancing in store and Asda’s is doubling the hours that Asda’s Covid Safety Marshals that will be on duty at the front of every store.

The Co-op also said it would not ban shoppers without masks from entering, and instead urged customers to take responsibility for wearing a face covering when visiting its stores, as it was mandatory by law.

Iceland said it would take a similar approach, adding the vast majority of its customers continued to shop in compliance with the law.

The additional measures are to making shopping safer during the current lockdown as supermarkets are one of the limited places where the public will come into contact with others.