Shuttered for months during lockdown, supermarkets, fast fashion outlets, and all manner of retailers across the UK are set to reopen in the summer. But are people ready to return to the high street? Canvas8 spoke to eight Britons to find out how they feel about shopping post-pandemic.

The closure of non-essential retail due to COVID-19 saw shopping become a mostly digital affair for many Britons. Yet while the future of the high street may be in jeopardy, people remain eager to connect with brands. How can pop-up experiences fulfil this desire in the post-pandemic landscape?

The pandemic has complicated the weekly shop for those in rural areas – when delivery slots are few and a big supermarket is far away, countryside-dwellers are struggling to source ingredients. Costcutter has a solution: village pop-ups with stock tailored to local wants and needs.

Corner shops thrived during the pandemic as people stayed within their communities. The lockdown saw people adjust to living locally, and as a result of this shift, the Co-op is expanding its chain of convenience stores to serve the needs of local neighbourhoods.