In the catering sector specifically, 64.5% were very concerned about the safety of customers and guests, but even more – 69% - were as worried about their own safety and that of colleagues.
A huge 87% said it was ‘very important’ to have access to adequate PPE.
Business owners are, not surprisingly, very concerned about the viability of their companies, with 81% having fears about profits not returning to normal.
The data comes from online training provider Virtual College, which surveyed the retail, manufacturing and catering sectors of the food and drink industry to understand their views on returning to work following the Covid-19 pandemic.
More than half (55%) of food catering business owners said they were ‘very concerned’ profits would not return to normal, a similar proportion (56%) were ‘very concerned’ about job security following the pandemic, while 63% expressed concern about social distancing in the workplace as staff returned.
In food manufacturing the picture is slightly different. There 31% of staff are currently furloughed or unable to work and 44% said they were ‘not at all concerned’ about social distancing in the workplace.
Only 41% are ‘very concerned’ about job security, but nearly two-thirds (64%) are ‘very concerned’ about profits.
In food retail 27% said they felt their business or employer was not prepared for a safe return to work and 58% are ‘very concerned’ about the safety of themselves and colleagues.
They express similar strength of feeling (86%) about the importance of access to adequate PPE, while they were the most concerned (70%) about social distancing in the workplace of any of the three sectors surveyed.
Peter Hilliard, marketing manager for online training provider Virtual College, said: “We reached out to obtain the views of people working in the food industry to ensure the online training we provide is tailored to the immediate needs of our customers.
“Indeed, some of our courses are updated every week due the constantly changing Covid-19 situation”.