According to data analytics firm, GlobalData, around 16 per cent of UK consumers plan to spend time shopping for non-food items, with over two-thirds looking forward to purchasing apparel post lifting of the lockdown, as they anticipate more social activities and buy into new season trends.

GlobalData’s monthly survey of 2,000 nationally representative UK consumers conducted in May found one of the biggest difficulties to be encountered across the clothing sector is the concern regarding fitting rooms, with the government stating that shoppers should not be allowed to try on items in store due to hygiene issues.

As fit and comfort are integral factors when buying new clothing items, this is likely to be a put-off, and may become a barrier to purchase, GlobalData thinks.

Therefore, retailers operating within this sector must identify innovative solutions, such as augmented reality mirrors, or virtual catwalks via their apps, to ease the shopping process and provide more inspiration for consumers.