Lockdowns and the mandatory and recommended wearing of face masks in shopping centres hasn’t dampened Australia’s love of shopping.
A new survey from RepTrak, the global company which monitors the reputations of corporations and places through consumer surveys, has revealed that the majority of Aussies feel safe when shopping.
More than 10,000 Australians were surveyed and 65 per cent said they felt safe shopping in a supermarket with 20 per cent feeling neutral.
Similar percentages – 64 per cent and 20 per cent – felt safe or neutral shopping on a street. While 56 per cent and 21 per cent felt safe or neutral in a shopping centre.
The venues that ranked highest for feeling unsafe were: public transport (46%), exercising indoors at gyms or swimming pools (40%) and cinemas (40%).
Visiting a GP or medical service, including pharmacies and chemists, had the highest safety rating of 69 per cent with 15 per cent feeling neutral.
Australian retailers have worked incredibly hard and spared no expense to ensure staff and customer comfort and safety, often going above and beyond the health requirements, said Paul Zahra, CEO of the Australian Retailers Association (ARA). He also believes that the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines will further boost customer confidence and safety.
“Most of our members think retail workers should be prioritised for the vaccine, given their essential services status. They’ve been on the frontline throughout the pandemic, ensuring people can access essential items, and were often peoples’ only interactions outside of home during lockdown,” he added.