A Theory for People's Negative Reaction to Barefoot Shoppers

I've been doing a lot of thinking about how the two people on Saturday reacted.  The first gentlemen's reaction, I have already discussed, but basically he was uncomfortable with someone walking around in bare feet.  He thought he could catch athlete's foot or some other fungus from my lack of shoes.

The second person, the store employee, I've been running through my head trying to figure it out.  When I walked in, he noticed I was barefoot and then after a bit came and found me in the store to ask me if I had forgotten something.  Then he told me I couldn't do that, referring to shopping in bare feet.  I told him I didn't see any signs but he didn't seem to change his stance.  But he was kind enough to let me finish shopping.

After much thought regarding my own limited experience to people's negative reaction to me being barefoot and reading other people's  posts on confrontations with employees when shopping barefoot, I have a theory.

My Hypothesis
1) Most people believe that shopping or dinning in bare feet is against the law.
2) This law is per their State Health Department,
3) The law is for their own health safety.
Therefore, people who shop in bare feet are law breakers and may be putting our health at risk.

Results
They say first impressions as very important.  So when an employee has a regard for the law and they see someone breaking the law in their store, they get upset and confront the barefoot person.  It most often does not turn out well.  Unless of course the barefoot person has a trump card like a disability, that requires them to be barefoot.

Barefooters Response
I'm thinking educating the general public on barefoot people is probably our best defense.  How to do that is the big question.  Perhaps contacting our favorite stores ahead of time with some education to clear the way for our visit.  I realize this could backfire and they could formally disallow all future visits to the store while barefoot.  But it is one thought.

A second option that could be used in conjunction with the International Barefoot Running Day and that is to use that event to educate the general public in not just barefoot running but shopping and dinning as well.