View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Stirling Online Research Repository Retailing in the United Kingdom – a synopsis Steve Burt †, Leigh Sparks †† and Christoph Teller ††† Institute for Retail Studies, University of Stirling †…Institute for Retail Studies, Stirling Management School, University of Stirling; FK9 4LA Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom, Tel: + 44 (0) 1786 467399; Fax: + 44 (0) 1786 464745; E-Mail:
[email protected]; ††…Institute for Retail Studies, Stirling Management School, University of Stirling; FK9 4LA Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom, Tel: 44 (0) 1786 467386; Fax: + 44 (0) 1786 465290; E-Mail:
[email protected] †††…[corresponding author] Institute for Retail Studies, Stirling Management School, University of Stirling; FK9 4LA Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom, Tel: +44 (0) 1786 46 6454; Fax: +44 (0) 1786 46 5290; E-Mail:
[email protected] Submitted to European Retail Research in January 2010 Retailing in the United Kingdom – a synopsis Abstract This paper illustrates the structure of, and trends in, the retail market of the United Kingdom (UK). This industry analysis describes the retail environment compared to continental Europe and considers the regulatory issues which have helped form this retail environment. By using secondary data we describe concentration and consolidation tendencies and explain specific features of the UK retail market. Major trends are identified and discussed, concluding with an outlook on future developments. Keywords: United Kingdom, Retail Structure, Industry Analysis 1. Introduction 1.1. Retailing in the United Kingdom and Europe In a number of ways retailing in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (in the following United Kingdom (UK)) appears to operate differently from the general pattern in continental Europe.