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Trade News Archive 2010 January February March
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8th March 2010
Independent retailers and wholesalers to disappear by 2015?
Independent retailers and wholesalers could disappear within the next five years, it has been warned.
That is according to the parliamentary Small Shops Group (SSG), which suggests that the rise of the supermarket – particularly in the South East – could signal the demise of Britain's smaller stores by 2015, reports to the Daily Mail.
It added: "The loss of small shops, largely the result of a heavily unbalanced trading environment, will damage the UK socially, economically and environmentally."
The SSG made its comments after it was revealed that 42 per cent of towns in the UK now have at least five supermarkets within a ten-minute drive.
In some cases two out the five outlets are operated by the same retailer.
The most ubiquitous superstore in the UK is Tesco, with 1,800 stores nationwide. Sainsbury's is the second largest, with 828 outlets, and Asda is third with 346 shops.
The effects of increased supermarket presence on the UK's small retailers and wholesalers has led to the Association of Convenience Stores to call on both the government and local authorities to take "greater responsibility".
According to the Ipswich Evening Star, Tesco has resubmitted plans for a store in Britain's smallest town Manningtree, a development that critics say will leave the high street "desolate".
© 2010
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