Customer Update: Consumers feeling more optimistic and returning to experiences and shopping in person

Scentre Group has released a series of insights from its Westfield iQ customer research platform exploring customer sentiment and what people are most looking forward to as they safely resume day-to-day activities and in-person experiences.

Australian and New Zealand consumers are feeling more optimistic and have an appetite to safely return to activities, experiences and shopping in person. Customer visitation has steadily increased across all Westfield Living Centres throughout May, coinciding with more retailers re-opening stores and government restrictions gradually easing.

• Approximately 80% of stores are open across Australian Westfield Living Centres and 93% of stores are open across New Zealand Westfield Living Centres.
• Customer visitation at the week ending 24 May 2020 has returned to 80% of what it had been in May the year prior.
• Consumer sentiment from Westfield customers through our Westfield iQ research platform is encouraging and reflective of our desire as social beings to engage with friends and family and experience products and services in person.
• Customers feel reassured by the overt and practical safety and hygiene measures in centres which includes signage, PA announcements, availability of hand sanitiser and more frequent cleaning in-centre. This is consistent with our operational procedures which have been communicated to customers and our support for the Retail Recovery Protocols which were announced on 1 May.

According to Scentre Group's Director of Customer Experience, Phil McAveety:

'Our latest customer research supports what we have witnessed in our centres over the past three weekends in May - more customers feel more confident to visit their local Westfield Living Centre, plus they have more reasons to visit with a diverse range of retailers re-opening.

Customers have told us they feel reassured by the visible and practical safety measures in place at our centres.

Unsurprisingly, when asked to nominate the top three things they want to do when more restrictions ease, customers have told us it is going out for a meal, spending time with loved ones and going out shopping. Top three purchases customers want to make in person are winter fashion, homewares and shoes.

Customers know physical distancing will be with us for some time. They are prepared to queue and adjust as the economic recovery starts to take place because they value the convenience and interaction of an in-store experience at their local Westfield Living Centre.

We thank our customers for their efforts to practice physical distancing and ask for their continued patience when they visit our centres.'

Read the full Customer Update here.