British consumers have praised social distancing measures put in place by DIY retailers with over 80 per cent saying that it was easy to follow protective guidelines inside stores, according to a study by Kantar.

Kantar asked shoppers who visited re-opened Homebase and B&Q stores during the last weekend in April to give their views on their experience of social distancing. 85 per cent of customers said that queues were well managed, while 90 per cent agreed or strongly agreed that the safety of staff was being well maintained.

The lockdown has seen heightened interest in DIY and gardening, including 43 per cent of shoppers who have taken the opportunity of having more time on their hands to tackle domestic projects. UK retailers including B&Q, Wickes and Homebase began reopening from mid-April, with other stores and garden centres following this week in light of the government’s easing of the lockdown.  Joanna Parman, strategic insights director at Kantar, comments: “DIY and...

As the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown is eased and people gradually emerge from their isolation and start shopping again, DIY Week is keen to know whether you are ready to reopen and what preparations you've made in order to adhere to the latest government guidelines. So are you ready to reopen?

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