Shopping

Shop till you drop! The British are a nation of shoppers.

Changing Shopping Patterns

Interestingly, consumer surveys show that although the overall amount spent across Britain has increased consistently over the years, consumer spending patterns have changed dramatically. How we shop has been influenced by a number of fascinating factors. For a start, items that were previously seen as luxuries are now considered essentials and we are fast becoming a luxury consumer-driven society.

The seeming acceptability of running up debts to fund both essential and non-essential goods is now widespread across all sectors of British society. In Great Britain today, we think nothing of living beyond our means and using credit to buy those ‘must have’ items that previous generations would have simply gone without in order to avoid falling into unnecessary debt.

Add in to the mix the notion of built-in obsolescence which is pretty much the norm, in Britain, where household items such as white goods are concerned. If it breaks, often we just don’t bother to get it fixed; instead, we replace it with an updated model. Twenty first century Britain is very much a ‘throw away’ society. Recent statistics reveal, for example, that we also chuck out a staggeringly large amount of our food purchases, each week.

Supermarket Shopping

Availability and accessibility are other important factors which have affected our buying patterns in the UK. Where traditionally there were thousands of market towns across Britain, supplying almost every item possible, supermarkets and out of town retail centres are now taking over as the major source of shopping opportunities. In particular, the British grocery market has become incredibly centralised in the hands of a few dominant players. These large supermarkets are able to offer economies of scale by buying in bulk and having a rapid turnover of stock. The four main supermarkets in the grocery industry currently hold an estimated 71% of the total market.

British Grocery Shopping Statistics

In 2006, it was estimated that the total annual expenditure on goods and services in the UK was approximately £750 billion. Of this £123.5 billion was spent on groceries. Even during times of economic difficultly, the spending on groceries continues to grow at an average of 3% per year.

Internet Shopping

But above all, the internet has had the biggest effect on how we shop today. Buying online provides a powerful means of supplying our every need; it’s easy, secure and time-saving and we Brits are buying into the option of shopping online, big time!

Convenience Shopping - Spoilt for Choice

Convenience shopping, in particular, has witnessed a significant boom in recent years with the penetration of the internet. More than 60% of all UK households now have internet connections, with around 70% of these being broadband. Shopping online is booming. In 2006, the total spent online was estimated to be £30 billion. By 2010, it is thought that 25 million people will regularly be purchasing goods and services online, up from just 10 million in 2006. It is also estimated that by 2010, 30% of all grocery purchases will be made online.

British shoppers are now much more aware of options and prices. Internet shopping, in particular, has allowed consumers to compare items, costs and functions with enticing websites that are user friendly and easy to navigate. This ability to purchase items from any retailer across the globe has demanded much greater price sensitivity across all UK shopping sectors.

Convenience, too, has become of paramount importance. British consumers are increasingly time poor and cash rich meaning that they are looking for the ultimate in shopping expediency. One-stop shopping is here to stay, in Britain. The concept of having all items under one roof has become fundamental to the shopping industry and it is predicted that the convenience retailing sector will grow by nearly a quarter in the next 5 years, which will outperform the retail sector as a whole.

Britain Today - Shopping Trends

The increasing desire for convenience and price sensitivity is having a dominating effect on British shopping trends. With this in mind, it is likely that one-stop shop convenience shopping and online retailers are set to go from strength to strength.