Convenience retailers invested record amounts in their stores in the last year, with much of this being spent on measures to protect their businesses from crime and rising costs, according to the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), which today published its annual Local Shop Report.
Investment hit £1bn for the first time, a massive 54% hike on last year’s figure of £646m, and the highest on record since the report’s inception in 2012. But “it’s not all fun and games” highlighted ACS director of communications Chris Noice, who launched the report online today.
“A lot of that [spend] is in defensive investment – spending money on areas like crime prevention and detection, energy efficiency and other futureproofing and productivity measures that reduce the business’ exposure to cost increases,” he claimed.
The biggest area of investment was refrigeration, with 56% of retailers spending in this area, while 32% of retailers had invested in technology in the last year.
The report also identified that retailers are offering a wider range of services, including bill payment, Post Offices, click and collect, local delivery, prescription collections and dry cleaning, to make up for shortfalls in their local area.
ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “The convenience sector continues to demonstrate its importance to the UK economy at both a local and national level, as a vehicle for investment, as a job creator, and as a means of generating over £9bn in tax income for the Treasury.
“The investment figures we’ve seen this year are not surprising, as retailers tell us that they’re futureproofing their stores in two main ways. Firstly through hardware like efficient refrigeration, self-service tills and electronic shelf edge labels to increase the productivity of the business, and secondly through an increasingly diverse range of services … that previously would have taken their own place on the high street but are being brought under one roof to ensure that local people still have access to them.”
Key headlines from this year’s report include:
- 71% of the 50,387 stores in the convenience sector are run by independent retailers (either unaffiliated or as part of a symbol group)
- More than half of independent retailers (56%) fund investment from their own reserves
- Convenience stores provide local, flexible and secure employment for around 445,000 people
- More than one in six convenience stores (17%) now has a self-service till, up from just 3% in 2019
- Almost half of independent retailers (47%) offer some form of home delivery/click and collect service
- 80% of independent retailers were actively involved in their community over the last year
Peter Batt, MD of Nisa, said: “Today’s ACS Local Shop Report again highlights the critical role independent retailers play in supporting their local communities. With 71% of convenience stores independently owned, it’s clear the sector benefits from the personal touch and deep understanding independent shopkeepers provide, with their ability to tailor their proposition to local customer needs integral to their success. Despite the ongoing challenge of retail crime and the shocking far right riots, retailers continue to demonstrate their unwavering commitment to serving and enhancing their local areas, and I’m particularly proud of the way our Nisa retailers have persevered.”
