CACI’s ‘How COVID-19 is changing the movement of your customers’ weekly report has been monitoring the evolution of consumer behaviour throughout the pandemic. This has provided useful insight into how people are interacting with their towns and cities, particularly as lockdown measures continue to ease.
The report reveals that outlets and regional malls have rebounded faster than many other shopping sectors, re-engaging with affluent shoppers. Although the impact of leisure re-opening was slower than the re-opening of non-essential retail, the public have now started to return to pubs and restaurants in growing numbers, particularly in their local towns. With live performance venues still closed, the findings of the report also demonstrate the impact on food and beverage outlets in the areas that surround theatres, which have been slower to recover, further demonstrating the integral role cultural venues play in our cities’ economic buoyancy.