They may be age cohorts who have long been strongly associated with the increasingly digital nature of mainstream retail, but a new report has suggested that Generation Zers and Millennials are also frequent visitors to brick-and-mortar outlets. 

The research in question, courtesy of physical retail analytics firm RetailNext, discovered that although four in 10 (40%) UK consumers overall now visit non-food stores once a week, this proportion was 46% among Millennials. 

Young shoppers seem particularly appreciative of high-street fashion experiences 

More than 1,000 shoppers in the UK were polled for the study, which found that these younger generations were particularly inclined to visit physical retail stores when seeking out fashion. 

Focusing specifically on fashion retail, younger Gen Zers were discovered to be the most frequent in-store shoppers. This demographic was more than twice as likely as the average UK consumer to look around brick-and-mortar apparel outlets on a weekly basis, recording 28% for this measure, compared to the latter’s 13%. 

Looking to the health and beauty sector, the research showed a 1.7 times greater likelihood of visiting stores weekly among Gen Zers, compared to the average shopper (34% versus 20%). Meanwhile, the proportion of Millennials embarking on trips to health and beauty stores on a weekly basis was 25%, as opposed to 20% for the average UK consumer. 

“Younger consumer cohorts are embracing physical retail” 

Head of Sales EMEA & APAC at RetailNext, Gary Whittemore, commented: “All too often assumed as being solely creatures of social commerce, younger consumer cohorts are embracing physical retail”. 

He suggested a number of potential factors in this, such as a wish among these younger shoppers to reduce screentime, engage in more authentic retail experiences, and/or interact with the brands they love in “real life” settings. 

The “death knell” for the high street perhaps shouldn’t be sounded just yet 

However, RetailNext’s wider research uncovered further fascinating insights into UK shoppers’ support for high-street outlets. 71% of respondents, for example, had wanted to see such stores receive better support in the recent Budget, and 75% wished the Government to do more specifically to help high-street retailers. 

An additional 70% of those polled, meanwhile, expressed a belief that rates should be cut for bricks-and-mortar retail businesses to level the playing field against online competition. 

Whittemore added that while the “death knell” had long been sounded for the high street, “the reality is physical retail remains an important and compelling component in omnichannel buying journeys, prompting strong support for the high street amongst shoppers”. 

So, what does all this mean for your fashion, lifestyle, or luxury brand? 

Findings like the above certainly indicate that, even as you work alongside a trusted digital agency in London to help grow your brand, the high-street component cannot – and should not – be discounted as a potential factor aiding the realisation of such growth ambitions. 

Nonetheless, the consistent delivery of digital excellence will still need to be a major priority for any brand in these sectors. 

To learn more about how Skywire London’s strategic, creative, and marketing experts can assist you in achieving exactly this, please do not hesitate to contact us today. 

Photo by Mukuko Studio on Unsplash