When will business owners own their businesses once more?
Starting January 24, large-surface retail stores exceeding 1,500 square metres in size will need to check their customers’ vaccine status upon entry. This measure has not been well-received by the affected retailers, with representatives from several industries urging the government to reverse its decision, explaining the negative effects it could have on their customers.
For nearly two years, retail business owners have followed the government’s lead through a whirlwind of measures: multiple lockdowns, social distancing, hand sanitizing, mask wearing, restricted hours of operation, closures on Sundays… and now, vaccine passports. It’s time for entrepreneurs to regain control over their businesses. As argued in one of our publications, businesses should be able to decide for themselves if they want to ask for proof of vaccination at the door. It goes without saying that merchants want to offer their clients a safe environment, but maybe some can do so without requiring a vaccine passport. At the end of the day, the decision should be left to individual business owners.