45 DATA


SHOPPERS PREFER SHOPPING IN-TOWN, EXCLUSIVE SHOPPING CENTRE RESEARCH SHOWS


Last month Local Government Minister Grant Shapps announced the government’s response to the Mary Portas Review, which he described as ‘Portas Plus’. The response has reignited debate about the impact of out-of-town shopping developments on the high street. Defenders of the high street point to advantages enjoyed by out-of-town locations, such as free parking, larger stores, and consolidated management. Others claim that the current struggles of town centres and high streets simply reflect shoppers’ preference for the


Which is best for shopping ?


An in-town shopping centre is the preferred place for shopping, favoured by almost half of our sample; other shopping places are only half as popular with 29% favouring The High Street and only one in 5 preferring an Out-of-Town centre


0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%


The high street In town shopping centre Which one do you think is best for shopping?


Out of town shopping centre


Men prefer to shop local Almost 4 out of 5 of our male shoppers say they prefer to shop in town; less than a fifth of men are drawn to out-of-town centres, compared with a quarter of women


The high street In town shopping centre Out of town shopping centre


different shopping experience they can find out-of-town ROI Team’s latest What do Shoppers Say? survey highlights the views of actual shoppers - rather than pundits – on this question. Interviewing was carried out in the centre of Ashford, Kent on Thursday March 1st, and Saturday March 3rd


Shoppers told ROI Team’s interviewers: • An in-town shopping centre is their preferred place for shopping, favoured by almost half of the sample. Other shopping places are only half as popular,


with 29 per cent favouring the high street, and only one in 5 preferring an Out-of-town centre • However, the in-town shopping centre is not convincing all shopper types. Young career professionals, who are among the UK’s biggest-spending shoppers, are much more likely to favour the high street and shun their in-town shopping centre. The financially strapped Hard Pressed types are the ones most likely to be tempted out of town by bargains and free parking • Male shoppers are strongly biased towards town centre shopping, with less than a fifth


of men drawn to out-of-town centres, compared with a quarter of women Andrew McCall, managing director of ROI Team, said: “Given the very strong out-of- town shopping offer on their doorstep, we were surprised by the lack of affection from shoppers in Ashford towards this style of shopping, and the clear perception that out-of-town developments are damaging the high street. If shoppers’ actual spending starts to mirror their sentiment we might see a revival of the fortunes of town centre shopping.”


But younger, wealthier shoppers favour The High Street In Ashford, Kent young career professionals (ACORN’s Wealthy Achievers) are much more likely to favour The High Street and shun their in-town shopping centre. The financially strapped Hard Pressed types are the ones most likely to be tempted out of town by bargains and free parking The high street


In town shopping centre Wealthy Achievers


Moderate means Comfortably off Urban prosperity


Hard pressed 80%


0 Always/Sometimes 20 40 Which one do you think is best for shopping? Out of Town shopping developments are damaging


The High Street Almost two thirds of shoppers in our survey believe that out-of- town shopping developments are damaging The High Street; very nearly three quarters of the wealthier shoppers have this view


Male A 60 80 100 A


Out of town shopping centre


Agree Disagree Don’t Know


Female 0 20 40 Which one do you think is best for shopping? 60 80 100


Thinking about in town and out of town shopping places do you agree with the following statements?


www.shopping-centre.co.uk April 2012 SHOPPING CENTRE


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