Shoppers are still avoiding using public touchscreens due to fears of germ transmission, according to research by UK user interface company Ultraleap.

The research found some were even changing their behaviour to avoid using them altogether in public venues.

The survey was conducted in China, Japan, UK and USA, and looked at attitudes to public touchscreens. It found that more than half of consumers in these markets (52%) were concerned about touchscreen hygiene, and those concerns were broader than just Covid-19.

The survey also found that the majority of respondents (72%) were also changing their behaviour at least sometimes to avoid germs on public touchscreens and nearly a third (29%) were always changing their behaviour. This includes touching the screen as little as possible (25%), using hand sanitiser before (29%) or after (45%) touching the screen, or even avoiding places where they have to use a touchscreen (10%).

This avoidance behaviour is likely to have a direct commercial impact on retailers and brands. Touchscreens provide autonomous service points for consumers, while also providing a commercial uplift in certain environments. It’s reported that self-service kiosks bring in higher-than-average order sizes and require fewer staff at checkout.

“Fast food restaurants like McDonald’s and Burger King rely on self-service touchscreens to upsell more food and drink,” said Saurabh Gupta, vice president at Ultraleap. “If people are actively not using them, then brands are losing revenue opportunities. Our report demonstrates that offering a touchless option on their self-serve kiosks can cater to all consumers, especially those who are more hygiene-conscious. Doing so can help generate incremental revenue of between $1800 and $4500 per month.”

The research also revealed that consumers were not only open to (83%) but were actively positive about touchless as an alternative to touchscreens, with 68% of respondents saying they’d be more likely to visit a grocery store or fast-food outlet if it offered a touchless self-service screen.