In September 2021, Walmart Canada announced that, beginning in November, in-store customers would be required to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19.
Snopes is still fighting an 'infodemic' of rumors and misinformation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, and you can help. Find out what we've learned and how to inoculate yourself against COVID-19 misinformation. Read the latest fact checks about the vaccines. Submit any questionable rumors and 'advice' you encounter. Become a Founding Member to help us hire more fact-checkers. And, please, follow the CDC or WHO for guidance on protecting your community from the disease. In September 2021, Snopes readers inquired about widely-shared social media posts which claimed that Walmart Canada had announced that, beginning on Nov. 1, it would be requiring customers who wished to enter its stores to present proof of vaccination against COVID-19, as well as government-issued ID. Those claims were false, and a meme shared online, which was presented as an official Walmart announcement, was bogus. The meme contained the Walmart logo, along with the headline 'Proof of vaccination required,' and the following text: EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 1ST, 2021 SHOPPERS WILL NEED TO PROVIDE PROOF OF VACCINATION AND GOVERNMENT ISSUED ID IN ORDER TO ENTER ANY WALMART IN CANADA. WE WILL STILL BE HAPPY TO OFFER CURBSIDE PICK UP TO THOSE UNVACCINATED. THANK YOU WALMART OF CANADA It was shared on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Notably, we found no instance in which the purportedly official announcement was accompanied by a link to Walmart Canada's website or social media accounts - a red flag that the meme was likely not authentic. Adam Grachnik, director of corporate affairs for Walmart Canada, confirmed for Snopes that the company had never made any such announcement and does not have a policy of requiring customers to show proof of vaccination in order to enter stores, but noted that: 'We continue to work with governments across the country and are following required restrictions.'
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