Gen Z and Millennial shoppers help drive physical stores revival, new RetailNext research finds

Gen Z and Millennial shoppers are the most frequent visitors to UK stores, helping drive the post-Covid physical retail revival, according to research from RetailNext.

Its research of over 1,000 UK shoppers showed that while 40% of UK consumers now visit non-food stores once a week, 46% of Millennials make weekly trips to stores (+6 percentage points compared to the average UK shopper). 

When it comes to fashion, younger Gen Zs were also the most frequent in-store shoppers, with the demographic more than twice as likely as the average UK consumer to head into apparel locations every week (28% vs 13%). 

And, despite the stereotype of being wedded to social commerce, 66% of Gen Z prefer physical experiences for discovering fashion trends and products, according to a recent UNIDAYS report.

Similarly, for health and beauty, Gen Z were also x1.7 times more likely to visit stores weekly (34% vs 20% of average shoppers), while the proportion of Millennials taking trips to health and beauty shops each week is now +5 percent higher than the average UK consumer (25% vs 20%). 

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

“Whether that’s through a desire to reduce screentime, seeking more authentic shopping experiences or human interaction away from digital enclaves, or connecting and engaging with the brands they love in real life, we’re seeing rafts of younger shoppers leading the store revival both here in the UK and river in the US, choosing the store as their channel of choice.”

Outside of younger shopping cohorts, UK consumers as a whole are also signalling wider support for UK high street retailers, echoing recent calls by retail leaders who wrote to Chancellor Rachel Reeves ahead of the budget demanding more relief for the sector through business rates reform.

Seven in ten consumers polled by RetailNext wanted to see retailers better supported in the Autumn Statement, with three quarters calling on the government to do more specifically to support high street retailers.  A further 70% believe bricks and mortar retail businesses should be given rates cuts to level the playing field between online competition.

“For many years now, we’ve heard death knell after death knell sounding the impending doom of the high street,” Whittemore says. 

“But the reality is physical retail remains an important and compelling component in omnichannel buying journeys, prompting strong support for the high street amongst shoppers, which is why we continue to see many pureplays actively investing in growing their physical retail offerings.” 

2024 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Physical retail is a key focus area for the sixth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards, which are now closed for entries.

The awards, sponsored by Scala, CADS, 3D Cloud, Brightpearl by Sage’s Lightning 50, Business France, and Retail Technology Show 2025, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Key 2024 dates

Friday, 25th October: Award entry deadline 

Tuesday, 29th October: 2024 shortlist revealed

30th October-6th November: Judging days

Thursday, 21st November: Winners announced at the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards ceremony, to be held at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London.