The move to on-line shopping and smaller local convenience stores has left the big supermarkets with a challenge – how to manage their millions of acres of land, as well as the devaluation of their portfolios when 25% of planned UK supermarkets developments are being cancelled.
The discount supermarkets have a big advantage as their stores are much smaller, which apart from being responsive to changing shopping behaviours have the added benefits of less capital investment and easier planning permission.
Whilst we tender for work for Tesco and Sainsbury’s the move to smaller convenience stores is suited to Dymond Engineering’s metal work capabilities as we are well placed to meet their metalwork requirements such as smaller volumes, quicker lead times and special fittings.
This is all part of a revival in the town centre and high street as some shoppers start to favour local convenience enabled by multi-channel technology instead of the on-stop-shop convenience provided by out of town retail parks. Although it’s early days, food, clothing and footwear sales on the high street are significantly up on 2007 thanks to increases in petrol prices, retail technology and aging population bringing shoppers back to their town centre shops.