“As retailers and brands grapple with big questions related to reopening stores, it’s clear from our findings that consumers have varying degrees of comfort within different store environments and formats”, commented Greg Petro, CEO of First Insight, adding: “As retail visits expand past essential retail like grocery and drug stores, other retailers, and malls in particular, need to be thinking of ways to inspire a sense of safety for consumers, and it will need to go beyond offering gloves and masks at the door”.

According to First Insight, most consumers surveyed would feel safest shopping in grocery stores (54%) and drug store chains (50%). 45% of consumers would feel safe shopping at big box retailers, and 43% saying the same when shopping at local small businesses and warehouse clubs, respectively. Malls were ranked lowest with only 33% of respondents saying they would feel safe shopping in these locations.

The survey also found that men feel much safer overall than women going back in-store: 58% of men feel safe shopping at a grocery store as only 49% of women feel the same. Similarly, 49% of men surveyed feel safe shopping at big box retailers, versus 43% of women, the smallest percentage difference. More men (47%) also feel safer than women (39%) shopping at local small businesses.

First Insight’s latest survey also found that 80% of respondents prefer to use their own face masks and 70% prefer to use their own gloves rather than masks or gloves provided by the retailer when shopping in-store.