Local shops are increasingly important for convenience and choice but new measures need to be introduced so that local people get more out of stores close to them, according to new report.
The study commissioned by the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) found that policy intervention will ensure that consumers get the full benefit from local shops.
And in an accompanying poll, the ACS discovered a fifth of adults do not have access to a convenience store within five minutes of their homes.
Moreover, over a third of those polled by GfK NOP said they think the amount of local shops within walking distance has fallen in the past five years.
Chief Executive James Lowman said: “One of the key findings of the research is that consumers want easy access to local shops and it also shows that these shops bring economic and social benefits that extend beyond simple customer choice.”
If policy is implemented correctly, he added, then various benefits could be seen, such as more economic investment and reduced car usage.
Last month, research carried out by My Shop is Your Shop found over 20 million people are walking to their local convenience store a day.
