King Soopers drops mask mandate for vaccinated shoppers in Colorado

King Soopers and City Market locations in Colorado no longer will require fully vaccinated customers or most fully vaccinated employees to wear masks inside the chains’ grocery stores beginning Thursday — unless a local mandate requires facial coverings, parent company Kroger announced.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Friday lifted nearly all of the state’s mask order, allowing people to go mask-free in most indoor public settings unless stricter local measures are in place. The state’s order requests that nonvaccinated people continue wearing masks, but does not require it.

Denver and other metro counties followed suit, tailoring any remaining local ordinances to match the state’s position.

Businesses are free to continue requiring masks, and King Soopers had until Wednesday’s announcement by Kroger.

The company’s announcement says:

• Fully vaccinated customers and most fully vaccinated employees no longer need to wear masks beginning May 20 in facilities that include stores, distribution centers, plants and offices — unless otherwise required by state or local governments
• Non-vaccinated employees will be required to wear masks
• Employees in the chain’s pharmacy and clinic locations will be required to continue wearing masks under Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance
• The company requests that nonvaccinated customers continue wearing masks
• The grocer also will “continue to respect the choice of individuals who prefer to continue to wear a mask”

National chains including Walmart, Sam’s Club, Costco, Home Depot, Target, Starbucks and CVS have begun ending their mask requirements in locations where state and local mandates have been lifted. As of this week, Safeway’s parent company still required masks at its stores.

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