The Future of Rural Retail
We are delighted to share our Future of Rural Retail Report – a must-read for all community shops and for anyone who wants to go beyond their core business, which will shape their survival.
Pure convenience retail no longer cuts it – and more than ever, businesses must adapt to survive! We realise that this can be a daunting prospect, especially for established businesses.
For community shops, this report is tailor-made to help them think through their future, with insights, case studies, and a realistic framework for making essential changes to ensure they stay relevant and solvent.
Why you need this report
This Report came about with the ‘loud and clear’ feedback from our members about how hard it can be to get wholesale stock delivered. That, combined with cost pressures (staff, energy, food inflation) and changing consumer shopping trends made us feel that this is a pivotal time for community shops.
The 94% long term survival rate for community shops is under threat if some shops don’t have a bit of a re-think. You must stay relevant, evolve and adapt to ensure you’re meeting broad community needs – and this includes people who may not currently shop with you.
Some shops in the network have already transformed their businesses to be much more than the traditional convenience shop. The report we’ve written shares examples of those shops, and gives every community shop a framework to help think through their own futures.
How the report will help you
The Future of Rural Retail Report is written by Plunkett’s very own Membership Manager, Laura Olver, who brings a distinct perspective on this topic as a long-term Director at a community-owned shop, and having had a previous career in retail and purchasing. It is written in Laura’s own voice from a community shop perspective and for a community shop audience. We are encouraging every community shop to…
Use our four scales of range, proposition, services and impact to consider your future planning and ensure you increase your profitability and community benefit.
Take inspiration from the Report’s case studies and examples of success. Share them with your committee and use them to influence your key stakeholders.
Get insights and practical solutions from industry experts in the Future of Rural Retail Taskforce, including co-chairs Mary Portas OBE (Queen of Shops) and The Earl of Devon Charles Courtenay.
Alongside the report, we have:
- A six-minute video featuring two brilliant community shops.
- Further reading in the shape of essays provided by The Future of Rural Retail taskforce.
- A word from the taskforce co-chair Mary Portas.
Watch this six-minute feature video, which accompanies Plunkett UK’s Future of Rural Retail Report, highlights challenges and offers solutions. We meet people at two community-owned shops to find out more about the impact they are making.
Shaping the future
We are committed to supporting our community shop members to bring to life the solutions we believe lie within the pages of this report.
So, to all community shop committees, staff and volunteer teams alike, we invite you to share and read the report, and reflect on the shape and direction of your own business in the years ahead.
Let’s keep the conversation going on how we can ensure the future of rural retail for generations to come.
With thanks to all the contributors to ‘The Future of Rural Retail’ taskforce:
Ellie Bishop – WM Morrison Supermarkets
Mel Cooper – Westbury Community Shop
Charles Courtenay Earl of Devon
Lee Davies – Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Jack Foden – Post Office Ltd.
Paul Hargreaves – Cotswold Fayre Ltd & Flourish
Emma Ledbury – North Cotswolds Dairy Co
James Lowman – Association of Convenience Stores
Stuart Miller – Newcastle Building Society
Emma Mosey – The Farm Retail Association
Jason Parry – Booker
Mike Pickering – Midcounties Co-operative
Mary Portas
Tristan Robinson – Thakeham
Pete Russell – Ooooby
Oliver Stubbins – Welbeck Farm Shop
Rosa Sulley – Esmee Fairbairn Foundation
Caireen Wackett – Portas Consultancy
Josh Youings-Clarke – Youings Wholesale
We are very grateful to Esmée Fairbairn Foundation whose generous support has enabled the taskforce to come together and inform and resource the subsequent activities and report writing. This support follows a long-term interest Esmee Fairbairn has had in Plunkett’s work and considerable investment in the rural community-ownership sector.
