The easing of lockdown measures is leaving people in a bind. Though many remain wary of contracting COVID-19, there’s a common desire for physical interaction after months of social isolation. So, how can shops, restaurants, and leisure spaces create experiences that keep us safe and connected?

How can stores lure customers post-pandemic? What’s the future of pop-ups? And how is a sense of community driving shopping journeys? In this part of the 2021 Expert Outlook, we speak to three experts about people’s varied paths to purchase and the ways they connect to retailers.

Driven by the need to distance themselves from others and adhere to stricter budgets, many Britons are changing the way they shop for groceries due to COVID-19. But while a growing number are ordering online and stockpiling during the crisis, which behaviours are likely to stick afterwards?

Long queues and stock shortages have made shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic no easy task. The Supermarket Check-In app aims to simplify this part of daily life, monitoring waiting times and item availability at stores across the UK so people can make their trips as efficient as possible.