Extra cleaning, social distancing, and safety plans: Shopping centres explain how they are dealing with the influx of returning customers

• More Australians have been returning to shopping centres as coronavirus restrictions start to ease.

• Business Insider Australia spoke to the management of major shopping centres including Macquarie Centre, Top Ryde City and Castle Towers to find out what strategies they have in place to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

• Measures include extra cleaning of high touch areas, encouraging social distancing, and adjusting air conditioning so there's enough fresh air.

• Visit Business Insider Australia’s homepage for more stories.

Shopping centres have introduced extra measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, as restrictions continue to lift across Australia.

Research from Roy Morgan found a rise in the number of Aussies heading back to shopping centres as coronavirus restrictions start to ease.

Roy Morgan partnered with data solutions company UberMedia to gather data from tens of thousands of mobile devices so that it could track the movement of people in shopping centres across Sydney and Melbourne.

The research found that while foot traffic fell during the Easter long weekend, it has picked up every week since. In a chart mapping movement data from various shopping centres, the research identified 94 devices in Bondi Westfield on Sunday April 12, while on Sunday May 24, that jumped to 497. Over in Melbourne, the Chadstone shopping centre on Friday April 10 had 59 devices, while on Sunday May 24 that number rose to 1,167.

Castle Towers Centre Manager Eddie Paynter said there has been a notable rise in the number of customers entering Castle Hills centre.

"We have seen increased foot traffic through the centre since the easing of restrictions, as our retailers are making the decision to reopen," he told Business Insider Australia via email

As Aussies head back to perusing the shelves of their favourite stores, shopping centres have introduced new measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Macquarie Centre in Sydney's northern suburbs remained open throughout the pandemic

Macquarie Centre's management company, AMP Capital, told Business Insider Australia via email the centre is monitoring and supporting the measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus in Australia.

"We are working hard alongside our retailers to ensure a visit to Macquarie Centre remains a safe and welcoming experience," an AMP Capital spokesperson said.

"We’ve made changes to cleaning and hygiene services and increased signage and security to do what we can to ensure physical distancing and other government measures continue to be observed by everyone."

With the federal government announcing its 'Road to Recovery' – a three-step plan to ease restrictions around Australia – AMP Capital created a COVIDSafe Policy, in line with SafeWork Australia guidelines.

The policy includes providing facilities that help people maintain hand hygiene, displaying public health messages for a COVIDSafe Australia and thoroughly cleaning and maintaining the company's assets – particularly when it comes to high-touch areas and amenities.

AMP added that retailers are required to produce Workplace Health and Safety Plans, including COVIDSafe planning, and display these plans internally.

Castle Towers also has a coronavirus plan

Over at Castle Towers in Castle Hill, there is a similar plan for more cleaning of high contact areas. Centre Manager Eddie Paynter said the health and wellbeing of the Castle Towers community is something the centre takes very seriously.

He explained that the centre has a "heightened level of precautionary measures" to help prevent the spread of the virus "including a strengthened focus on disinfecting commonly touched areas, providing antibacterial products at key points throughout the centre, close work with retail partners to ensure our shared environments are safe, and the adjustment of air-conditioning systems to maximise the intake of fresh air."

There are also temporary floor markings so that customers keep up with social distancing measures.

Top Ryde City has hand sanitiser throughout the shopping centre

Retailers at Top Ryde City have been reopening their doors to the public, with city centre providing more hygiene measures in place.

"We are pleased to share that many businesses have reopened over the past two weeks which has given us the opportunity to expand the current retail offering for the community and welcome many of our customers back," Top Ryde Management told Business Insider Australia via email.

"As many retailers reopen and a higher volume of customers return to shop and dine, it is more critical than ever that our stringent cleanliness and hygiene protocols are in place."

There is hand sanitiser throughout the centre – including the entry and exit points of shops – more cleaning and sanitisation of high touch areas, and the active promotion of personal hygiene and safety measures.

Social distancing is also encouraged with signs, queuing systems and ground markers. The centre is also working with individual retailers to make sure they are keeping up with the 4 square metres of space per customer rule.

Plus, Top Ryde City has also postponed its in-centre events and activities.

"Top Ryde City is committed to working through this unprecedented period in unison with our retailers and customers to create a safe, healthy and enjoyable space for the community to return to," management added.

Advice on how you can stay safe in shopping centres

The property groups also shared their advice for what Aussies can do to protect others when visiting shopping centres.

AMP Capital suggested practising good hygiene - wash your hands with soap and water before and after eating as well as after using the bathroom.

The company also suggested using hand sanitiser, practicing physical distancing and staying home if you don't feel well.

"The health and safety of everyone who visits the centre remains our priority," AMP Capital added.

Likewise, Castle Towers emphasised social distancing, proper hand hygiene as well as coughing (or sneezing) in your elbow or in a tissue.

"We're pleased to see that most people are doing the right thing while they are visiting Castle Towers, and we encourage our customers to continue doing so," Paynter added.