Published: 12th Jan 2021

The current pandemic has ‘accelerated’ change on Britain’s high streets with more people shopping online and major chains struggling, MPs have been told. At a meeting of the housing, communities and local government committee yesterday, members were told how lockdown measures and the current Covid crisis had impacted traditional high streets. Scott Corfe, a research director at the Social Market Foundation, told MPs the pandemic has ‘accelerated a lot of the trends we were already seeing’ prior to last March. ‘During the pandemic we’ve seen a shift towards online retail,’ said Mr Corfe. ‘Some evidence suggests this is going to be a permanent change in shopping behaviours. So, one study by Retail Economics estimates that a quarter of the population is going to permanently change their shopping habits, even as we get out of lockdown. ‘Similarly, the pandemic has seen a shift towards home working and the evidence here is … (To read the full article, subscribe below)