Consumers feeling more comfortable about visiting grocery stores, research reveals

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More than 60% of consumers felt comfortable about making purchases in grocery stores in June, up from 51% last month, new research reveals.

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The British Retail Consortium-Opinium Consumer Coronavirus Tracking Survey found visits to larger supermarkets rose from 59% to 66% in June, while small supermarkets saw visits increase from 35% to 50%.

The research found that the most popular safety measures in stores were regular cleaning (34%), compulsory hand sanitising (33%), and one-way systems (30%)

On the wearing of masks, 44% of respondents currently wear them, with a further 26% intending to wear them in stores in the future. This compared to 36% and 31%, respectively, the previous week.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “Coronavirus is fundamentally changing our experience of shopping. Consumers and retailers are adapting to this new normal; the public are making their own judgements about how to stay safe and retailers have made significant investment in safety measures in stores. This has helped more and more people feel comfortable to go out and visit their local high street.

“Ultimately the future of thousands of shops and millions of jobs depend on the public’s decision to go out and support shops across the country. Retailers have spent millions of pounds making stores safe for customers and it is essential that the initial burst of enthusiasm seen on the high streets this week continues in the months ahead. It will continue to be a difficult time for retail, but with the support of the public and government, the UK’s largest private-sector employer will continue to play a vital part in all our lives.”