With COVID-19 lockdown measures easing around the world, just under three-quarters of global consumers (71%) now report feeling comfortable returning to physical stores, according to research published today by Mood Media. A new report, entitled “Shopper Sentiments: A September 2020 Global Mood Survey,” surveyed consumers across four major markets—the UK, US, China, and France.

Initially commenting on the findings, Scott Moore, Global Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Mood Media, said: “Consumers’ retail habits are still evolving as businesses slowly begin to open again. Many consumers are spending less time in-store and less money per visit, meaning they’ve become mission shoppers focused on getting in and out as quickly as possible.”

• 31% of consumers globally are spending less money and less time shopping than before COVID-19.
• 51% predict their shopping habits will return to normal on or before the summer of 2021, while half these (25.5%) expect a return to normalcy by the end of 2020.
• 10% of global consumers predict their shopping habits will never go back to pre-pandemic levels.
• 31% of consumers are spending less money and less time shopping in-store than they did before Covid-19, 21% are spending the same amount of money but less time than before and only 3% are spending both more money and more time than pre-pandemic.
• 80% of consumers feel reassured by new safety measures that are in place with the requirement to wear masks being the most important measure for them.
• 49% of global consumers believe in the possibility of catching COVID-19 while visiting stores yet 71% feel comfortable going back to physical stores.
• In the US 60% of consumers are worried about picking up the virus in-store, compared to the French with only 39% worrying about that possibility.
• In the US 60% of shoppers have returned to non-essential stores, compared to only 51% in the 55+ age group. This age gap is demonstrated globally, but in the US specifically, the youngest shoppers also seem to be worried. In the 16-24 age group, only 54% have gone back into stores compared to 74% globally.
• Of global consumers not yet ready to head back into store, female consumers are apprehension than males (41% vs 34%)
• Economic concerns resulting from the pandemic were named by 20% of consumers globally, with Millennials being hit the hardest (27%) followed by Gen Z (25%). France and the US (24% and 22% respectively) reported this “lack of means” reason the most out of the markets surveyed.
• Other factors why respondents haven’t returned to non-essential shopping included being (38%) “too nervous to visit”, (38%) “doing all of my shopping online”, and at (13%) “someone does my shopping for me”.
• The reasons consumers shop in-store are: the ability to touch, try, and feel the product (47%), the convenience of taking the purchase home instantly (47%), and the ability to browse and discover new things.