FFP2 masks are no longer given to customers free of charge at Billa, Merkur and Pennyn. Under these conditions they are still available for free.
The Rewe group didn’t save on Thursday with a bang: only the announcement in the morning that the “Merkur” brand will be crushed and from April all 144 stores will be called “Billa Plus”. The next great announcement followed in the afternoon: At Billa, Merkur and Penny, the mandatory FFP2 masks are no longer given to customers free of charge.
Read more: Merkur becomes Billa Plus – That is changing for you
Between January 25th and 27th, Billa, Merkur and Penny distributed the FFP2 masks, which have been mandatory since Monday, to their customers free of charge. This generosity is now over: “In the next few days the FFP2 masks will go on sale again at a price of 59 cents per item or 5.90 euros per ten items,” said Rewe in a broadcast.
Most customers are already supplied with the necessary FFP2 masks, the company justifies this step. However, under certain conditions, customers will still receive free masks.
Rewe board member Marcel Haraszti explains: “If customers forget their FFP2 mask, they can still receive a free FFP2 mask on request at the cash desk – as was already the case with mouth and nose protection. As long as stocks last.”
Since last week around 4 million FFP2 masks have already been given or sold, according to the group: “More than 90 percent of customers already enter the branches with FFP2 masks”.
As Rewe further explains, food retailers are offering FFP2 masks at the lowest possible price in order to ensure affordability for the population: “In view of the production and transport costs, the price of 59 cents includes our financial contribution so that low-income people can also benefit Households can afford FFP2 masks. This is our investment in supporting the fight against pandemics, “concluded Haraszti.
