Nearly half of UK adults (47%) admit they have specifically gone into a shop because of the friendly face and waggy tail welcome of a shop dog.
The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a small talk revival on Britain’s high streets.
The importance of ‘community’ is growing. It’s been years since the ‘me decade’ of the 1990s. More and more people are seeking the support, not of institutions, but of their fellow citizens: family, friends, neighbours and shared interest groups. Horizontal trust - trust in fellow citizens, consumer reviews and ‘people like me’ - is rising exponentially.