Their responses show that confidence was low in the early stages of businesses getting back to work after the first lockdown and that priorities have changed for business owners.
The survey showed that over three-quarters of respondents (78%) think the condition of a washroom in a restaurant is a reflection on how much the establishment cares about its customers.
Not only that, but just 46% of respondents feel safe visiting a restaurant and 86% would avoid a location if they didn’t think it was Covid-secure.
“We want to support foodservice businesses to embed the right hygiene practices and protocols by using the correct product solutions. We can help to change the behaviour of their customers and employees, by promoting the importance of good hand hygiene and surface wiping which are key factors in reducing the spread of germ transmission,” says Olena Neznal, vice president of Kimberly-Clark Professional EMEA.
“Only foodservice businesses which win the confidence of their employees and customers will thrive and from this research it is clear that hygiene is now top of the agenda,” she said.
“With this second lockdown, food businesses in England have the opportunity to put the right protocols in place and get ready to welcome back customers.”
According to the research, over two-thirds of respondents (69%) thought that the kitchen is the most important area to improve hygiene levels and 62% showed concern about using the toilets in restaurants, which is often the first or last place visited in a facility therefore critical in creating the right impression.
Over three-quarters (77%) thought the washroom is a reflection of the establishment’s image, while 76% thought the condition of the washroom is a reflection of the hygiene standards for the rest of the establishment.
Illustrating the heightened awareness of hygiene and safety, when asked about the most important factors when considering if a restaurant is safe to return to: 68% wanted social distancing enforcement; 65% wanted the provision of hand sanitiser at key points; 64% wanted the provision of hygienic hand washing and toilet facilities; 61% wanted to see that a washroom is clean; and 57% wanted cleaning and disinfecting procedures clearly communicated.
“Kimberly-Clark Professional has a long history of partnering with and supporting the foodservice industry, so these findings are crucial in guiding our ability to ensure we offer the best advice and solutions now and for the future,” said Neznal. “There are no shortcuts to workplace hygiene – we need to cover every angle.”
Meanwhile, Kimberly-Clark Professional has introduced the 360˚ Hygiene & Protection programme to help foodservice businesses get back on their feet and restore confidence. It offers specific foodservice facility support through considering need areas, and tools to assess your facility and identify germ hotspots. Hotspots are objects such as catering equipment, dishwashers, sink fixtures, food preparation surfaces, and door handles that are touched by many throughout the day and need frequent surface cleaning and disinfection to help break the chain in germ transmission.
The next step is implementing cleaning and disinfecting protocols and introducing the correct hand hygiene and surface wiping solutions. Finally, the programme promotes hygienic workplace practices by providing communication tools to help create awareness, which is a vital and important part of making people feel safe.
The company is offering a free no obligation Virtual Hygiene Walk – bookable through the microsite to review a facility and provide expert guidance on cleaning and hygiene protocols, recommending the right product solutions to tackle key hygiene hotspots: https://home.kcprofessional.com/UK_PR_TTNS_0920
It has also produced an in-depth guide for the food service industry to show the most appropriate products and solutions: https://home.kcprofessional.com/UK_PR_Food_1120