The British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Opinium have been working together to track the behaviour of shoppers and their sentiment towards coronavirus. The research has run weekly since 1 May 2020, with the latest survey taking place between 19-22 June 2020.

Amid the findings, 53% of respondents feel retailers are doing enough to protect the public from coronavirus; only 9% disagree.

Plus, 15% of shoppers intended to visit shops to browse, up from 13% before England and NI’s reopening. Those who intended to visit shops for necessary items also rose from 44% to 53%. Meanwhile, those who said they would avoid visiting shops if possible fell from 38% to 28%.

The most popular safety measures in stores remain compulsory hand sanitising (38%), one-way systems (36%) and regular cleaning (35%).

On the wearing of masks, 60% of respondents either currently wear a mask or intend to. The proportion who said they are not wearing masks rose from 29% to 40%. This may suggest consumers are comfortable with the safety measures they have observed in the first week of reopening.

Commenting is Helen Dickinson OBE, chief executive of BRC. “Thousands of retailers opened their doors for the first time in months, and shoppers enjoyed visiting many stores they had been missing.

“Retailers will be reassured by polling showing that almost six times as many people agreed that retailers were doing enough to protect the public as disagreed. Nonetheless, retailers must continue to work hard to ensure everyone has the confidence to visit their local high street.

“Shops and jobs depend on the ongoing support of the public. While the initial burst of enthusiasm is welcomed, the coming weeks and months will determine the future of our high streets for years to come.”