Retail: Will This Be Your Last Christmas?

Out of town shopping centres are becoming common landmarks throughout the UK. One such example is the Cheshire town of Macclesfield which is spending over £200m to bring in the big retailers, which will all be sited away from the traditional high street.

Free parking at these supermarkets and below-cost selling is putting small shops at a competitive disadvantage, said the FSB, resulting in independents being forced out.

With two weeks left until Christmas shopping is over for another year, the FSB, together with Friends of the Earth, is urging shoppers to avoid out of town shopping centres and to hit their local high street instead. Avoiding the out-of-town shopping centres saves on carbon emissions generated from longer car journeys and will also allow shoppers to enjoy better personal service and wider choice. The local economy will also be protected so that a thriving high street is still able to offer these amenities and jobs for local people in the long-term.

John Wright, FSB national chairman, said supporting small independents remained a simple way to help make local communities more sustainable. “The decline of our high streets should be given urgent attention. If we want our independent shops to be around next Christmas we have to support them. They offer the wealth of variety and originality that the big faceless shopping centres cannot match.”

He added, “Shopping locally also cuts carbon emissions and helps to create sustainable communities for the future.

Richard Hines, real food campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said, “The big supermarkets are squeezing independent retailers out of business all year round so it’s vital that we support local shops this Christmas. If we shop local first we can help our high streets to thrive, as well as benefitting the environment. And once you’ve recovered from the Christmas festivities, why not make local shopping a new year’s resolution for 2008?”