8 in 10 Brits plan to visit local stores the week they reopen

As retailers prepare to reopen next week following months of lockdown, 84 percent of adults in Britain say they’re planning to visit local high streets or shopping centres in the following weeks, new data reveals.

A key driver of that footfall will be consumers’ desire to have more of an experience when shopping after a year of mostly buying online, with 55 percent of Brits most excited about combining socialising and leisure activities with an in-person shopping trip this April.

That’s according to new research by British shopping centre operator Landsec.

In terms of consumer behaviour and retail spending, many Brits have had positive experiences with online shopping, but the majority (76 percent) believe they will revert to the same pre-Covid level of in-person shopping by the autumn.

But shoppers are also feeling apprehensive about returning to physical stores, with two-in-five indicating concerns about catching Covid-19 while one-in-three said they are afraid of spreading the virus to others.

“As the reopening of the economy draws nearer, it’s clear that people want to get out and about again. Many attitudes have certainly changed as a result of the pandemic but the human desire to come together has not,” said Landsec managing director Bruce Findlay in a statement.

“There is still a strong appetite for physical shopping and in-store experiences which cannot be replicated online. The right stores in the right locations that reconnect our communities will thrive.”

Image: FashionUnited