Lack of face masks deters shoppers

Research from mystery shopping company, Storecheckers, has found that customers are more reluctant to return to shops where retail staff do not wear face coverings.

The firm learned that in shops where staff did not wear face masks reduced shoppers’ perceptions of safety, and made them less likely to revisit. 60% of shoppers felt ‘Very safe’ or ‘Safe’ where all staff had masks, but this fell to 43% where not all staff wore face coverings.

In shops where all staff wore face coverings, 93% shoppers surveyed by Storecheckers felt ‘Fully Confident’ or ‘Quite Confident’ in returning. This number fell to just 50% where shop workers did not all wear facial protection.

Research by the firm’s Mystery Shoppers in 130 stores across England and Wales also reviewed the numbers of shoppers and employers using face coverings. While 84% of retail customers work masks while shopping, only 34% of retail staff used some form of protective face covering.

Commenting on the research findings, Storecheckers concluded:

Our research findings suggest that customers would feel more comfortable if they were, and that they would be more likely to return.  It is crucial to understand and learn what is driving customers’ decisions to visit the High Street, or not visit.  In order to move forward with a positive and focused future strategy, we need to be clear about where we stand now and how we can best adapt and assist local businesses for the difficult coming months.”