After city ruling, H-E-B to require masks in stores

Addie Broyles

A shopper wears a protective mask at a Central Texas H-E-B store in March. H-E-B said it will start mandating that customers wear masks while shopping in its stores in cities that issue orders requiring them.

H-E-B will start requiring customers to wear masks in its stores starting on Monday, less than a week after the governor allowed cities to make their own decision about facial covering requirements.

After weeks of pressure from some of the state’s biggest cities, Gov. Greg Abbott said it was OK for mayors to decide how businesses should handle mask rules.

On Wednesday evening, Austin Mayor Steve Adler announced that businesses have to have a policy that requires employees and visitors to wear face coverings. County judges in Travis and Hays counties issued their own mask orders the following day.

Many grocers, including Wheatsville Co-Op and Whole Foods Market, had already required customers to wear masks. H-E-B “strongly encouraged” masks on customers and required employees to wear them, but on Friday, the San Antonio-based grocer said it would require customers to wear masks in cities that also required them.

“H-E-B fully supports our local government officials and their dedication to keeping the health and safety of residents a top priority. Effective Monday June 22, in collaboration and compliance with local orders, H-E-B and Central Market stores in the City of Austin as well as Travis and Hays Counties will require all customers to wear masks or facial coverings,” the company said in a written statement.

Starting on Monday, H-E-B and Central Market stores will have a limited supply of free masks available to customers who might not be aware of the new rules.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced this week that cities could issue their own mask orders. Austin Mayor Steve Adler said that businesses in Austin would have to require customers to wear masks. H-E-B said it will start requiring customers to wear masks while shopping in its stores in cities that issue similar orders.