I’m guessing that the question is related to businesses that require shoes.

A few reasons that have come up over the years are: people bringing in dirt from outside (which happens more with shoes with any texture to the sole), a general classist view of barefoot=poor=dirty, a legal protection for the business in regards to people getting injured in their building.

I’m a former barefooter who occasionally relapses. I’m barefoot at home, in socks at client homes unless they are so dirty it’s not wise, and tend to minimalist shoes with nice toe boxes. I will walk barefoot on park grass, I have hiked in thicker forest duff barefoot (but know the real risks and they exist), I even tried true barefoot running (pre rise of “barefoot shoes”).

Growing up, I had multiple neighbors who were barefoot outside of school and animal chores. Only two cases of hookworm in almost 19 years.

In a city, I have defaulted to shoes.