The latest research from the Association of Convenience Stores has shown that retailers in the South West are leading the rest of the UK when it comes to their optimism on future sales, how their business is performing right now and their future plans for staff.
Key figures from the survey include:
- When asked about their business over the next year, 43% of stores in the South West said that they expect sales to increase, making them the most optimistic retailers in the UK
- 14% of stores in the South West reported that the number of staff hours in their business have increased in the last quarter (compared to a UK average of 7%). They are also most likely to be planning to increase staff hours over the coming year compared to stores in the rest of the UK.
- Convenience stores in the South West are also heavily engaged in their communities, with 78% of stores claiming to take part in some form of community engagement throughout the year, either by collecting money for a local charity or getting involved with local events and community initiatives.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “Historically, convenience stores in the South West have always polled very favourably when it comes to community engagement, but it looks like this has extended to other areas of their business. We are delighted to see that convenience stores in the region are performing well, and encourage consumers to get out and see what’s happening in their local shop.”
Over the last quarter, almost a third of stores in the South West (31%) have made some investment in their store to improve the services on offer, buy new equipment or carry out full refit. This is also the highest level of investment in the UK.
There are over 4,300 convenience stores in the South West, generating around £3.2bn each year for the local economy.
