A survey by Barclaycard has found that small local grocery stores are most likely to thrive in the post-pandemic economy. The Guardian reports on the results of the survey, which revealed that nine in 10 of people who shopped locally during the lockdown intended to carry on doing so.

Traditional shops such as bakeries, butchers and greengrocers have recorded a 63% rise in spending, as nearly two-thirds of consumers chose to shop closer to home. The article gives the reasons for this switch as a combination of community spirit, and the huge increase in the numbers of people working from home.

Tom Cheesewright, a consultant on future trends, said:“Echoes of this pandemic will be heard long after lockdown is lifted through a sustained shift in our buying behaviours. Changes we expected to happen over a decade have been condensed into a year.”

The news wasn’t so good for high street retailers, as the trend for buying online is expected to become a permanent shift in consumer shopping patterns. The Barclays survey found that households have received an average of two extra deliveries a month over the past year, and 50% expect to continue with this in the future, while 10% intend to order more.

However, there is more positive news, as The Guardian reports elsewhere that the economy returned to growth in March. The article states that levels of business activity are high as the service industry prepares for the easing of lockdown restrictions. The rapid rollout of the vaccine programme has increased optimism that the high street can bounce back.

The downturn in the economy during January and February was less severe than feared, as the furlough scheme and billions of pounds of government support for business boosted confidence.

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