In the last year alone, most people have become aware of the potential hygiene risks of being in busy social environments. Shopping centres pose a particular problem for retailers trying to keep clean and ensure the safety of their shoppers.
Where are the challenges in keeping shopping centres clean?
There are numerous ways that hygiene levels can be impacted in a busy environment like a shopping centre. The first is posed by the volume of people that visit shopping centres in a day. Indoor environments also maintain a certain temperature and are subject to less air circulation than outdoor areas, making it easier for germs and bacteria to thrive.
Shopping centres, especially those with food courts, also have unique challenges due to food preparation and handling and people eating. Facilities such as these and toilets need extra care to ensure their hygiene levels stay at a good standard.
What can you do to ensure a shopping centre is safe for visitors?
Keeping a shopping centre’s hygiene at a good level can be difficult. However, by making some changes to the way a shopping centre trades, it could result in a huge boost to hygiene standards.
Hand sanitiser stations
Hand sanitising stations have become a common sight in all public areas, but it’s important that visitors actually use them when entering and exiting shopping centres. It could be useful to have these at regular intervals around the centre, as well as additional stations in food courts and near facilities such as toilets.
Face Masks
Face masks have become a staple of society over the past year and this trend is likely to continue, particularly in enclosed areas like shopping centres. The combination of hand sanitising and face masks should significantly improve hygiene in shopping centres, so this should ultimately be an important feature in risk management.
Keeping facilities clean
Shopping centre facilities should be cleaned regularly throughout the day. Furthermore, ensuring adequate stocks of paper towels and hand wash is imperative to allow visitors to thoroughly wash and dry their hands. Deeper cleans should be completed in toilets and places where people linger such as seating areas and food courts.
Trying on clothes and touching products
There is a serious case for limiting the ability of shoppers to try on clothes and touch products, without buying them. Technological advancement may help in this area, with augmented reality systems allowing customers to see how clothes will look on them without having to try them on.
Capacity limits
Limiting the amount of people allowed in a shopping centre at one time could help to maintain good levels of hygiene too and offer more time for robust cleaning schedules.
