Which major retailers are requiring masks?

TJX COMPANIES NRF RANK: 18 U.S. STORES: 3,264 TJX is the parent of T.J.Maxx and Marshalls, as well as outdoor store Sierra and home furnishings chain HomeGoods. Identical customer

information pages on each brand’s website state that stores follow CDC guidance recommending that “all unvaccinated individuals wear face coverings indoors, and that vaccinated individuals

wear face coverings in areas with substantial or high transmission of COVID-19.” Masks are mandatory for employees “in most locations for the time being.” DOLLAR TREE NRF RANK: 19 U.S.

STORES: 15,375 The discount retailer, which also operates the Family Dollar chain, does not explicitly state a mask policy on its coronavirus response page but says it is "following the

latest guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," apparently ending a face-covering mandate for shoppers that had been in place since August 2020. MEIJER

NRF RANK: 21 U.S. STORES: 256 The Midwestern superstore chain dropped its mask requirement for fully vaccinated shoppers on May 17. "We ask all customers who are not fully vaccinated

with the COVID-19 vaccine to wear a mask while they shop at our stores and maintain social distancing," the company says on its COVID-19 information page. WAKEFERN (SHOPRITE) NRF RANK: 

22 U.S. STORES: 359 The corporate parent of northeastern supermarkets ShopRite, Price Rite and the Fresh Grocer recommends in its FAQs on store safety that all customers and store staff mask

up in areas with substantial or high rates of COVID transmission. The company requires unvaccinated employees to wear face-coverings in all stores and requests that shoppers who are not

fully inoculated against COVID do the same. MACY'S NRF RANK: 24 U.S. STORES: 733 Masks are “recommended but not required for vaccinated customers,” according to the department

store's page on COVID-19 safety procedures. Store employees are provided with company-issued cloth masks and "may be required to wear them at all times, or may do so by

choice," depending on state and local rules. AT&T NRF RANK: 25 U.S. STORES: 1,880 Store rules follow local policies, according to the consumers section of the telecommunications

giant's COVID-19 response page, which states, "In according with certain local mandates, masks are required to be worn by employees, customers and visitors in our stores and will

be provided to customers who need them.” RITE AID NRF RANK: 26 U.S. STORES: 2,447 The pharmacy chain updated its face-covering policy July 4 to allow fully vaccinated shoppers and staffers

to unmask in stores. "As a healthcare provider, we continue to ask unvaccinated individuals, particularly those receiving any direct care from our pharmacists, to continue to wear a

face covering while in our stores," the company says on its page on COVID-19 protocols. VERIZON NRF RANK: 27 U.S. STORES: 6,339 The company’s web page on store operations states that it

“follows state and local requirements regarding mask use. You may be required to wear a mask even if you are fully vaccinated.” BJ'S WHOLESALE NRF RANK: 28 U.S. STORES: 221 The

membership warehouse club requires face-covering for unvaccinated customers and employees in all stores; for vaccinated staffers in areas with substantial or high rates of COVID

transmission; and for all shoppers and workers in in-store optical departments, according to the company’s updated coronavirus FAQs. KOHL'S NRF RANK: 29 U.S. STORES: 1,174 The

department store is requiring masks for employees in counties identified by the CDC as having high or substantial transmission risk and recommending face-covering for all shoppers in those

areas, according to an Aug. 10 company statement. PETSMART NRF RANK: 30 U.S. STORES: 1,556 Face-covering is “strongly recommended” for customers. Employees are required to mask up inside

stores, regardless of vaccination status, the according to the pet-supply chain’s COVID-19 response page. MENARDS NRF RANK: 31 U.S. STORES: 314 “Vaccinated persons are recommended to wear a

mask. We would deeply appreciate it if you would,” the Midwestern home improvement chain states on its COVID-19 policy page. “Not-vaccinated persons do need to wear a mask. We deeply

appreciate you doing so.” ROSS NRF RANK: 32 U.S. STORES: 1,859 The off-price department store started “requiring all customers and associates to wear a face covering” in August 2020 and

continues to do so, according to its store safety guidelines. HY-VEE NRF RANK: 34 U.S. STORES: 297 In May, the Midwestern supermarket dropped mask requirements/a> for shoppers and

staffers who are fully vaccinated. Face-covering is still required for unvaccinated employees and is “strongly recommended” for customers who are not fully vaccinated. O’REILLY AUTO PARTS

NRF RANK: 36 U.S. STORES: 5,594 Unvaccinated employees are required to mask up, and “fully vaccinated team members will gladly wear face masks during your visit upon your request,” the

national automotive chain said in a June 1 notice to customers posted on its website. “We strongly encourage and appreciate [mask] use in all of our stores by anyone who has not been fully

vaccinated against COVID-19.” GAP NRF RANK: 37 U.S. STORES: 2,338 The operator of Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy and other apparel chains dropped mask mandates for fully vaccinated customers

May 21 and for inoculated employees June 18. “We recommend that customers who are not fully vaccinated wear masks in our stores,” and unvaccinated staff are required to mask up when

working, the company says in its store-safety page. WEGMANS NRF RANK: 40 U.S. STORES: 104 “All employees are required to wear a face mask in our stores, even if not mandated at the state or

local level,” the East Coast grocery chain announced Dec. 21. Mandates for customers are limited to locations covered by state or local mask orders. _Editor’s note: This list is limited to

retailers currently ranked among the nation’s 40 largest by the NRF. Some firms in the top 40 are not included because they do not have physical stores or did not publicly announce a

company-wide mask order for customers at any time during the pandemic. Some retailers listed in prior versions of this article are no longer included because they have dropped out of the top

40, due to declining sales or changes in how the NRF compiles its list. If you have questions about mask policies at a store not listed here, check its website or contact its corporate

office._ _Andy Markowitz is a contributing writer and editor for AARP, covering Social Security and fraud. He is a former editor of _The Prague Post_ and _Baltimore City Paper_._