Survey: Consumers are Confident in Businesses and Retailers with Cleaning Protocols in Place

• Ahead of Upcoming Holiday Shopping Season, Research Reflects Americans are Ready to Go Back In-Store, if Proper Cleaning Protocols are In Place
• American Cleaning Institute Healthy Returns Program Provides Businesses with Concise Reminders on Cleaning to Keep Customers, Employees Healthy and Safe

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Findings from a recent national survey unveils strong consumer confidence in business cleanliness, with two-thirds of Americans (65%) saying businesses are cleaning enough.

The findings from the survey conducted for American Cleaning Institute (ACI) by Ipsos underscore shoppers’ confidence in not only the cleaning products and recommended protocols, but also their confidence in businesses to implement these protocols effectively within their workplace. The survey analyzed consumer perceptions of cleaning measures following an unprecedented decline in sales for many small businesses and retailers due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Ahead of the holiday shopping season, these survey results come at an important time for businesses and retailers as many consumers are deciding on doing their shopping in-store or online.

To help business across the country navigate a successful re-opening, the American Cleaning Institute rolled out new resources through the Healthy Returns program. Adapted from public health recommendations, the free online toolkit provides guidance and checklists containing easy to understand reminders on hygiene and cleaning that are crucial to keeping the workplace healthy and safe.

“As the country continues to grapple with the long-lasting impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we know how important this holiday shopping season is for many businesses,” said Melissa Hockstad, ACI President & CEO. “At ACI, we are committed to serving our business community and providing them with the tools and resources needed to both ensure safe operations and also reinforce confidence among employees and customers through effective cleaning measures.”

Additional survey responses include:

• Confidence in cleaning products is particularly high among older adults (90% of those ages 55+ vs. 81% of those ages 18-34). Those over the age of 55 are also significantly more likely feel as though businesses are generally cleaning enough (72% vs. 59% of those ages 18-34).
• More than half of Americans (51%) believe businesses, schools and other public locations are maintaining an adequate level of cleanliness in preparation for cold and flu season.
• Respondents expect to see businesses take additional cleaning and disinfecting measures in order to maintain a safe environment, including:
  • Providing hand sanitizer (73%)
  • Frequent wipe-downs of surfaces (77%)
  • Signage of cleaning measures and regulations (53%)

These are the findings from an Ipsos poll conducted September 10-11, 2020 on behalf of the American Cleaning Institute. For the survey, a sample of 1,005 adults ages 18 and over from the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii was interviewed online in English. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, both waves of the poll have a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points for all respondents.

The American Cleaning Institute® (ACI – www.cleaninginstitute.org) is the Home of the U.S. Cleaning Products Industry® and represents the $60 billion U.S. cleaning product supply chain. ACI members include the manufacturers and formulators of soaps, detergents, and general cleaning products used in household, commercial, industrial and institutional settings; companies that supply ingredients and finished packaging for these products; and chemical distributors. ACI serves the growth and innovation of the U.S. cleaning products industry by advancing the health and quality of life of people and protecting our planet. ACI achieves this through a continuous commitment to sound science and being a credible voice for the cleaning products industry.