Proudly voted Promotional Merchandise Distributor of the Year, December 2024 (Sourcing City Awards).

The Promotional Items Every Reopening Shop Needs This Spring

Preparing to reopen your retail business this spring? We're here to help, with must-have items to help with everything from social distancing to staff safety.

Whether you're simply looking to top-up the supplies you've already got or are keen to kit-out your premises from top-to-toe, we can help.


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So: when can shops reopen in the UK? Under the government's 'roadmap' plan, non-essential retail businesses are allowed to reopen no earlier than 12th April 2021. Adherence to existing 'social contact' rules will still be required at first to keep the potential threat of Coronavirus to a minimum among staff and customers.

That very same date is also when a wide range of other businesses and facilities are permitted to reopen, including:

  • Hairdressers and barbers
  • Indoor leisure facilities, such as gyms
  • Public buildings, including libraries and community centres
  • Zoos and theme parks
  • Outdoor hospitality venues

All reopenings on April 12th are part of the government's four-step plan, with the passing of four tests (including the continued successful deployment of the vaccine programme) required to allow things to go ahead as planned.

What Guidelines Do Reopening Shops Need To Follow This Spring?

There is a wide range of guidance available for retail environments, covering everything from appropriate in-store ventilation to the cleaning of surfaces. Recommendations shared by the government in winter 2020 include: 

  • Increasing the frequency of handwashing and surface cleaning
  • Using screens or barriers to separate people from each other
  • Calculating the maximum number of customers that can safely follow social distancing rules without your premises
  • Providing clear guidance for customers and staff on social distancing and hygiene

Those are just a few examples of the changes that retail premises have been required to make over the last year; of course, customers will also still be required to wear face masks unless exempt, and should also be encouraged to make good use of hand sanitiser upon entry and exit of your store.

The Best Promotional Social Distancing Items For UK Shops

Current social distancing guidelines require people to stick to a two-metre distance from each other when and where possible. Customers and colleagues alike are asked to keep their hands clean to help limit the spread of germs, whilst the wearing of face masks is mandatory bar those who are medically exempt from doing so.

So what branded social distancing items can you enlist to remind your customers and staff of the restrictions, and their need to follow them?

Round Anti-Slip Social Distancing Floor Stickers

Dispatch from: Three working days.

Ideal for use both inside a shop as well as externally, these anti-slip floor stickers are printed with your full colour design to ensure there's no chance for visitors to miss your messaging.

Available to order with our standard social distancing design by default, you have the option to entirely customise them, resulting in a product that's as unique to your brand as it is beneficial to your customers.

Due to the high bond permanent adhesive, these floor graphics are suitable for almost all indoor flooring surfaces (including short pile office carpet) and are also appropriate for use outdoors on surfaces such as tarmac and pavement.

Take your pick from a range of sizes; looking for something a little more angular? These social distancing floor stickers can also be ordered in a rectangular design, too.

A4 Social Distancing Banners

Dispatch from: Four working days.

Available to order from just one unit, these handy social distancing roller banners are ideal for displaying on counters and till points. Acting as a reminder to both customers and staff of social distancing measures, they're available to order with our standard safety message by default (with your logo added); alternatively, you can have them printed with your own full colour design.

Either way, your artwork will be printed to one side for high-impact visibility that will be hard to miss - and want to take things one step further? Consider our full-height Social Distancing Pop-Up Banners instead.

Ideally sized for displaying by entrances and exits to your retail premises, these branded banners are perfect for reminding customers of everything from distancing guidelines to your opening hours. 

Disposable Face Coverings & Reusable Face Masks

Dispatch from: Two working days.

Face masks and coverings have become somewhat symbolic of the pandemic - and whether you're looking to provide your team with reusable branded face masks or are after single-use disposable options that you can offer to customers as well, we can help.

Make sure you've got your staff covered from the moment you reopen with our wide range of branded face masks; we've got options to suit every price-point as well as eco-friendly designs, antimicrobial coverings and more available for you to choose from. (And be sure to check out our wide range of discounted face masks, too!)

Browse our full range of branded face masks

Promotional Countertop Screen Shields

Dispatch from: Five working days.

Want to do your utmost to ensure till or desk-based staff feel protected at all times? Our simple yet effective Countertop Screen Shields should do the trick and are available to order from just one unit, meaning they're ideal for establishments both large and small.

Available to order in either a stock Covid-19 design or printed with your own full colour messaging, they're easy to construct and transport for a straightforward set-up wherever they're most needed. Their non-permanent nature means that if you decide in the future you no longer require them, they're easy to disassemble - there's no fuss involved here! 

Eco Antimicrobial Name Badges

Dispatch from: Three working days.

For a safety touch that's also environmentally-aware, search no further than our Eco Antimicrobial Name Badges. Manufactured in the UK from a recycled plastic base, these branded name badges feature your full colour design (including the names of your employees) and are designed with a combination of Biomaster antimicrobial protection and Pure Zone antimicrobial laminate surface finish.

That impressive duo works together to pro-actively inhibit the growth of most types of harmful bacteria by up to 99.99% - and that even includes antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as MRSA. Available to order from just ten units, they're another promotional product pick that's ideal for retail environments both large and small, with speedy UK dispatch available. 

By the way! If ID holders are more appropriate for the way your team work, we also have antibacterial branded lanyards available; printed with your logo in full colour, they're ideal for holding security passes or cards.

Browse our full range of antibacterial promotional items.

Branded Hand Sanitiser Stations

Dispatch from: Two working days.

Ensuring hands are clean is crucial to help halt the spread of germs - and what better way to remind customers to keep it clean than with branded hand sanitiser? We've got options to suit every budget, ranging from smart promotional hand sanitiser dispensers to cost-effective bottles that can be displayed by shop entrances. 

To keep things simple - and costs that bit lower - many of our branded hand sanitiser products are available to order plain stock, with generic labelling supplied by default.

Alternatively, you can use this as an opportunity to incorporate a further touch of brand awareness to your premises and opt, instead, to have the bottles or dispensers printed with your own artwork and messaging. 

Browse our full range of promotional hand sanitiser products.

From items for social distancing to promotional face masks, Total Merchandise has all the branded products your business could need to get reopened and help keep its customers safe in 2021. Need assistance finding a specific item? Simply contact a member of our friendly and experienced Sales team on 01376 509092 or email info@totalmerchandise.co.uk! Main image via Pexels

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