As current restrictions are gradually being eased and more retail stores will reopen and shopping centres will see more foot traffic, it’s important to keep certain health guidelines in mind following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Australia’s key retail industry groups have released a Retail Recovery Protocol to provide a consistent, practical and public-health led guide for shopping centres and retailers that continue to trade, are re-opening or are preparing to re-open when restrictions start to ease.
“As more people return to shopping centres, we want to assure the community our industry is working hand-in-hand to ensure that strict public health guidelines are followed and that we provide a safe, healthy and secure environment,” explains Shopping Centre Council CEO, Angus Nardi.
The protocol outlines 10 key actions that retailers and shopping centre could take, including:
• Making alcohol-based hand sanitiser available at key locations such as store entrances, building entrances, customer service desks and food courts.
• Frequent cleaning and disinfecting of regularly used objects and hard surfaces (e.g. payment registers, ETFPOS machines, hand-rails, bathroom door handles, shelves, shopping trolleys, counters and benches, food-court tables, staff-rooms) and other key hygiene measures (e.g. waste disposal).
• Facilitating and encouraging social distancing and public gathering limits in accordance with government directions, which is currently a distance of 1.5 metres and a limit of no more than one person per four square metres in stores. Actions could include signage reminders, one-way queueing, ground markings (e.g. stickers or tape) for customer queues.
• Daily check-ins with staff on their wellbeing, ensure staff and contractors are properly trained and have access to relevant information and personal protective equipment (PPE).
“Retailers have made an enormous effort to protect staff and shoppers, working tirelessly to create a safe and healthy in environment through the lockdown period and now as most businesses prepare to reopen and serve their customers,” Australian Retailers Association CEO Paul Zahra says.
“This protocol provides the clarity and consistency that retailers are looking for at this time around best-practice.”
