UK consumers proved that they are ready and willing to shop again.
Stores reopened on June 15 after being closed for about 83 days. Although retailers had strict health safety measures in place, not the ideal shopping experience, people didn’t seem to mind. They were simply happy to get back into the shops.
Local UK media reported mile long lines with shoppers waiting up to two hours for access to merchandise, much of which was heavily marked down.
- Markdowns were in the 70% off range.
- Footfall was reported to be up by 47% to 51% in various media reports.
Many people were happy just to get out of the house and wander around the high street or a mall – even if they didn’t make a purchase.
Social distancing was mostly forgotten as shoppers were more interested in bargains than in health safety.
Many consumers did not wear masks, raising concerns amongst health professionals of an increase in cases of coronavirus.
