Supermarkets adopt wider aisles, contactless payment as Covid-19 pandemic forces rethink in store design

New supermarket interiors are designed to be calming and welcoming for users, while employing measures to allow for social distancing, says design consultant

New designs for homes, offices and entertainment venues will cater more to wellness, health, safety and flexibility

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Wider aisles, contactless payments and less congested entry points are just some of the changes that supermarkets are implementing in light of social distancing measures to stem the spread of Covid-19. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 7:00am, 5 Jan 2021Updated: 7:58pm, 5 Jan 2021

The coronavirus pandemic has triggered a rethink in the design of supermarkets. Operators are implementing changes such as wider aisles, easing congestion at entry points and adopting contactless payment technology to help maintain social distancing measures that have now become a norm to stem the spread of infections.

However, operators want to see returns from this additional investment and are looking for ways to get consumers stay longer and spend more, according to Oliver Corrin, regional director for Asia at CADA Design, an interior design consultant with studios in Hong Kong and London.

“The outcome is a new wave of supermarket interiors that are designed in a way to be calming, welcoming and atmospheric for users with new features,” said Corrin, whose firm designed Fortnum & Mason’s flagship store in Piccadilly, London and has worked with Tesco, Pret a Manger, and Harrods in the UK. In Asia, the company has redesigned the 140,000 square feet Lotte Food Avenue in Seoul and The American Club Hong Kong’s Town Club.

“Particular attention is also being focused on high congestion areas such as entrances and pay points, employing measures to keep customers at safe distances from each other have been a focus as is the tech that can make this possible,” he said.

Grocery stores and supermarkets are adopting contactless payment technology to help maintain social distancing. Photo: AFP

Grocery is the only retail segment that has seen an uptick during the coronavirus pandemic as lockdown measures have largely limited restaurant operations across the world while non-essential retailers such as those selling clothes and accessories have been hit hard. The stay-at-home orders have meant that people have had to cook their own meals, boosting sales of grocery stores.

Despite the roll out of vaccines that is widely seen as a step closer for the global economy to return to normalcy, analysts foresee businesses continuing to make adjustments and prioritise hygiene and safety.