The Rewe Group made the start. Now more and more supermarkets are following suit and want to distribute FFP2 masks for free. Lidl too.
In the middle of the week, the supermarket chains Hofer, Spar and REWE (Billa, Merkur, Penny) announced that they would sell the FFP2 masks from 59 cents a piece. But then REWE caused a surprise and announced that it would initially provide the masks free of charge. “This offer is valid while stocks last at the respective location,” it said in a message.
Spar and Hofer responded immediately and rely on the same offer. At Spar, the FFP2 masks were distributed free of charge on Saturday. Lidl now also wants to make them available free of charge from Thursday.
“The demand for FFP2 masks exploded again just before the weekend and we sold around two million masks at cost price. Our goal is that every customer who needs a mask also gets one. We will therefore be offering them from Monday to probably Wednesday continue to sell individually at the cash desk at cost price of 59 cents. As of Thursday, another 4 million masks will be delivered to our branches. These will then be given free of charge to customers who do not yet have an FFP2 mask. We want our customers to be safe give that they – even if sell-off situations cannot be ruled out – always get a mask from us when they need one “, it says in a broadcast from Lidl.
The wholesaler Metro Austria also announced that it would be giving away FFP2 masks for free. “The demand for FFP2 masks has been really high in the last few days,” said REWE International Board Member Marcel Haraszti according to the announcement. More than five million masks have already been delivered to Billa, Merkur and Penny, and another 15 million have been ordered. There is also enough stock for the other large chains.
At Spar, Eurospar and Interspar stores, the free masks are distributed at the entrance and each customer receives a piece. The offer is valid “while stocks last”, but without a time limit. At Hofer they are available at the cash desk.
