Covid Plan B restrictions, which were introduced late last year to curb Omicron cases, have been scrapped from today almost in entirety.
It means compulsory face masks, Covid passes and work from home guidance have all come to an end in England.
Last week, Boris Johnson told the Commons that "the government will no longer mandate the wearing of face masks anywhere".
He added that instead of mandates, it "suggests that you continue to wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces where you may come into contact with other people you do not normally meet".
Many supermarket chains have announced their rules on face masks, with one chain saying "safety remains our highest priority".
Which supermarkets still need you to wear a face mask?
Under Plan B, shoppers in England had to wear face masks in shops and supermarkets as well as in a range of other public indoor settings, unless they were exempt or had a reasonable excuse.
The end of restrictions means that there is no longer a legal requirement to wear masks in shops.
However, supermarket chain Sainsbury’s was among the first retailer to announce it is recommending all shoppers and staff continue to wear a covering unless they are medically exempt.
The chain issued an update stating: "Safety remains our highest priority. From Thursday, we’re asking our customers and colleagues in England to continue to wear a face covering in our stores if they are able to."
Another large chain to confirm that it would be suggesting shoppers to wear masks in their stores was John Lewis .
A spokesperson said: "We value the safety of our customers and Partners and continue to follow the latest Government guidelines," adding that "it will be down to individuals to make a personal choice".
Morrisons and Waitrose have also confirmed they will be following government guidance but recommending that face masks continue to be used by shoppers in their stores.
Wilko said: "While masks will no longer be a legal requirement in England, we’re still recommending face coverings for our team members and customers in busy indoor spaces unless they are exempt."
Meanwhile, electronics retailer Currys said that while it will ask staff and delivery staff to wear masks, it won't tell customers to do the same.
Other stores like Tesco and Aldi are likely to follow with a voluntary mask policy, where shoppers will be asked to consider wearing masks but not legally required to do so - but this is unconfirmed as these stores have not issued any update yet.
What is the health guidance on using face masks?
Face masks are no longer mandated in retail settings and public transport, but health guidance remains that people wear masks in crowded and enclosed spaces, where they may come into contact with people they do not normally meet.
Trade union Usdaw, which represents 360,000 retail workers, has also urged customers to continue to "observe Covid safety measures" and wear masks even though the mandate has ended.
Chief executive of British Retail Consortium Helen Dickinson said: "Retailers ask customers to be considerate to those around them when choosing whether to wear a face covering and to respect the decision of other customers."
Similar to shops, Transport For London has already said that people must continue to wear masks on its services.
