Survey conducted by Intu reveals many shoppers want coronavirus safety measures in place before they’ll return to stores.

Intu, the owner of shopping centres including the Lakeside Centre and the Trafford Centre, has revealed lost earnings estimates of around £180m in rent as it published the results of a consumer retail survey, ‘The New Normal: Retail during and post Covid-19’.

As of 15th June, all non-essential stores will be allowed to reopen with safety measures in place to protect staff and shoppers. A survey conducted by Intu, which polled 2,000 regular users of shopping centres, indicates that the use of CCTV to monitor crowds, as well as temperature scanners on entering and leaving stores, would be welcomed by the majority of shoppers.

The report also revealed that 81% of those polled plan on visiting shopping centres the same number of times, or more frequently, than they did before the lockdown started on 23rd March, but 28% of shoppers noted that they would spend less, due to financial concerns brought about by the crisis. In addition, 70% of shoppers called on councils and local authorities to do more to support independent and local retailers.

The report concluded: “The over-arching message is clear: people want to get back to normal, which is promising, but they need clear reassurance from retailers and leisure providers along the way. We need to ensure consumers feel safe and supported as restrictions lift. An open dialogue, allowing us to listen to what people want and need as the situation progresses, will be key. If we work together closely as a sector, we feel confident we can navigate the challenges the pandemic presents.”