This is a trade facing website. Visit the ACT's consumer site thecyclingexperts.co.uk for information and advice on cycling and find your local independent cycle retailer.

Search News

Results: 51-60 of 933


12 Dec 2022

New research published by Cycling Scotland has shown that saving money is a key motivator for people taking up cycling. The study, which tracks changes in attitudes towards cycling in Scotland...

7 Dec 2022

During a tough economic climate with significant challenges for retailers, the Daily Telegraph has named 15 high streets around the country that it says, “retain a healthy selection of...

30 Nov 2022

Cycling UK has published its annual 100 Women in Cycling 2022 list celebrating inspirational women in cycling.

30 Nov 2022

Cycling in London has increased by 40% since the start of the pandemic, including a near-doubling of journeys by bike at the weekend, according to the newly published annual Travel in London...

29 Nov 2022

The Business Secretary, Grant Shapps, has announced that businesses are to be given a further two years to apply new product safety marking.

29 Nov 2022

A new survey of 2,000 British cyclists, which is part of a wider European report, claims that only just over a quarter of people in the UK think their local cycling infrastructure has improved...

28 Nov 2022

VOLT announces its new insurance collaboration with LAKA, three-time winners of the Best Cycle Insurance Provider category at the Insurance Choice Awards and pioneers of the ‘collective...

24 Nov 2022

According to a new survey, Cambridge is the best in the country for independent shopping to support small businesses. The study found that many of the city's small businesses turned out to be...

22 Nov 2022

Groups of independent retailers in York are to receive a £25,000 funding boost to help with promotion during the Christmas trading period and to attract more customers in 2023.

21 Nov 2022

Shop owners in Earlsfield, Wandsworth are teaming up in the run-up to keep the high street busy in the run-up to Christmas. With the cost-of-living crisis affecting independent shops, the...

Back to news menu

Cost of living crisis forcing Britons to shun local for big brands

Posted on in Business News , Cycles News , Creative News, Outdoor News

National media has reported that most Britons say that the cost-of-living crisis is forcing them to shun local shops in favour of big brands to get the cheapest prices.

In research commissioned by Santander UK, eight in ten claim the rising cost of living is forcing them to shop with big brands and national retailers to get the cheapest possible prices, even though many would prefer to shop local.

Shopping

Just 21% of those surveyed said they like to support small, local shops due to better customer service, distinctive products and a sense of community.

Meanwhile, a disturbing 80% of SMEs said they were struggling to compete with lower prices offered by national brands, while 72% said they were losing customers over it.

As the cost-of-living crisis deepens, 73 % felt that the current economic climate makes it harder for them to compete. More than two thirds of small shops admitted that spiralling inflation had forced them to raise prices.

This has also hurt their customer base, with 42% of individuals saying that soaring bills and mortgage rates have already forced them to look for the cheapest available options.

This comes after a relative boom for local shop owners, which saw 67% of SMEs receive an influx of customers during the pandemic, dissipated.

More than half of consumers said that they had tried harder to support smaller retailers between March 2020 and 2022. Those numbers have fallen this year as a quarter of shoppers have scaled back their local spending due to rising costs, despite 47% enjoying the friendliness of local outlets.

Back to news menu

Useful links

If you have any other queries please contact us.