End of the fruit and veg shop?
GREENGROCERS are closing at the rate of two a week and are in danger of vanishing completely, experts have warned.
Only 1,765 are left, down from almost 7,000 in 1997. Supermarkets and online shopping are blamed for the fall.
There has been a small fightback with the growth of farmers’ markets and organic food shops. But the lone trader trying to make a living supplying the local community is continuing to vanish, says trade journal The Grocer.
Closures in the past year included the chain Stokes, based in the South-west, which collapsed with the loss of 30 stores and 200 staff.
Some experts feel the way forward is selling regional produce and finding new outlets such as local restaurants.
The Grocer noted: “Independents with entrepreneurial spirit are doing well. Greengrocers have to evolve to be able to take advantage of new consumer trends.”