The coming increase in Christmas shoppers will take its toll on the entrances of retail outlets across the UK. For this reason, it’s vital the correct entrance flooring system is in place. Chris Rand explains.

WITH long, cold nights creeping in, there’s one thing on many people’s minds: Christmas. It’s right around the corner, and the annual commute to the shops for presents will soon commence. This increase in shoppers will take its toll on the entrances of retail outlets across the country, so for this reason it’s vital the correct entrance flooring system is in place.

With the pandemic having hit retail hard owing to lockdowns and closures, many consumers moved online to do their shopping. However, with retail parks having returned to their former state, Christmas is expected to be as busy as ever, with many of those previously looking online now returning in-store to do their seasonal shopping.

For retailers this will be a welcome relief, but the additional number of customers introduces another problem: dirt and moisture build-up within stores, which can lead to unclean environments and health and safety risks. In fact, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the most common reason for major injury in the retail industry is generally caused by failure to keep floors free from dirt or moisture*.

However, installing the right barrier matting system can help reduce the amount of dirt and moisture being brought indoors, which in turn can minimise slip risks.

When it comes to choosing a barrier matting system for retail settings, there are a variety of factors that must be evaluated, including the location of the flooring, the volume of foot traffic across the area and the routes that customers will take. This information should then be applied in the design of the entrance area.

One of the best ways to plan an entrance is to take a zoning approach, as each zone will require a flooring system to perform a different function. The first zone is the external system, which will be placed outside the building to stop the coarsest foot-borne dirt from crossing the threshold into the building. In this zone, a rigid engineered entrance system is the perfect solution, such as Forbo’s Nuway collection.

Entering into the second zone, a system with more dirt retention and better moisture absorption, such as Forbo’s Coral textile solutions, is the optimal choice, as it’s the entrance into the building itself and will need to take away the finer particles of dirt and moisture.

Finally, in larger, more high-end retail outlets a third zone can be considered, such as for buildings with multiple floors. Often called the ‘clean-off’ zone, it applies to all circulation areas in the building like stairs, customer service areas, corridors, and walkways to other areas of the building. For this zone a multifunctional, all-rounder solution, such as Forbo’s Coral Interior, which can absorb moisture and remove dry soiling should be considered.

In conclusion, ensuring your retail customers choose the right entrance flooring system will not only increase the longevity of an interior floor covering, but will also help reduce accidental slips and trips. There are many options available on the market, but Forbo Flooring Systems’ Nuway range is one solution that’s perfect for the retail sector. It’s been proven to prevent 95% of walked in dirt and moisture and is available in a wide range of colourways to suit all design needs.

For more information about Forbo’s solutions for the retail sector visit
www.forbo-flooring.co.uk/retail or to learn more about Forbo’s Nuway collection: www.forbo.com/flooring/en-uk/commercial-products/coral-nuway-entrance-flooring-systems/ce0cxk. 

• www.hse.gov.uk/retail/slips-and-trips.htm
  Chris Rand is entrance flooring category marketing manager at Forbo Flooring Systems