The British government has requested that people wear face masks in stores as of July 24, and the French government is considering making masks mandatory in stores and all other public places by Aug. 1 at the latest. The British Retail Consortium has said that retailers should not be required to enforce the legislation, to avoid violent incidents. Speaking on TV, JD Sports Fashion’s executive chairman, Peter Cowgill, expressed fear that the regulation could turn away young shoppers, who have been more active on the internet lately. Others feel that it may instead lead more people to shop offline, as they will perceive the environment to be safer than before.