the balance of location preferences and space needs, as well as on the competitive pressures underpinning rental and capital values.This major research project has been designed to inform retailers, developers, investors and public sector policy makers about how retail property trends are likely to influence a wide range of issues, from the conception and design of new projects, to planning, development, tenant mix strategies, leasing, marketing and asset management. The project will be conducted in nine stages:
1. The impact of Changing Demographics and Consumer Patterns.
2. Consumers Over 55: Silver Shoppers Provide a Golden Opportunity.
3. Online retailing: The Impact of Click on Brick and its potentially huge long-term impact on
the balance of location preferences and space needs, as well as on the competitive
pressures underpinning rental and capital values.
4. Future of Brands and their importance in the retail landscape, including trends in brands
over the next 10 years, the potential and future of shopping centre brands, the death of brands
and post materialist consumers.
5. Future of Retail Transport: Access, Information and Flexibility and the likely situation in ten
years time, based on such current trends as road pricing, car parking, congestion charging,
increasing car ownership, changes in transport policy, road building and inter-modal transport.
6. In-town or Out-of-town? An expert review of changing planning policies.
7. Future of Retail Business Models and their implications for property, including a detailed
analysis of cost structures, supply chain dynamics, margin structure, sales productivity, potential
growth trends, overseas entrants to the UK market, multi-channel retailing and changing retail
formats.
8. How Much Space A review to determine whether the UK is over- or under-shopped, incorporating
economic models and forecasting and differences between gross and net additions to space.
9.
The project will review the role of architecture and design in the types of Future Shopping Places
and the cost implications of changing formats, the incorporation of technology and building for
sustainability.
The Future of Retail Property is a major BCSC research initiative designed to map out the key forces for change in the retail industry over the next ten years. The programme is intended to be rigorous but practical. It comprises a series of eight individual projects some of which will run in parallel and others sequentially.
The aim is to furnish decision makers with information on the major social, political, technological and economic changes that lie ahead so they can create better shopping places.
By future we mean the period from now to the year 2015. This is a key part of the research programme and all projects should focus on the changing nature of the business environment over this period. The emphasis will be on using existing research to provide guidance on key future trends. The focus should be on looking forward using scenario planning rather than just regurgitating existing research. What is sought is an assessment of the direction of existing/current research and developing a vision for the future of retail property in its widest sense.
The overall objectives of this substantial programme of research are as follows:
