As British consumers navigate their Christmas shopping lists this season, new data suggests a shift in clothing retail dynamics across the UK’s high streets. Analysis by payment solutions provider SumUp, drawing on Office for National Statistics data, reveals an unexpected transformation in consumer shopping patterns over the past five years.
Market stalls have emerged as the clear contender in the clothing retail sector, recording a 26.5 per cent increase in numbers since 2020, while traditional clothing stores posted a modest 2 per cent growth. This trend challenges the narrative of high street decline, instead pointing to an evolution in retail preferences and value-driven shopping.
The broader clothing retail sector remains robust, with a market value of 47.7bn pounds in 2023, representing an 8.6 per cent year-on-year increase. However, the distribution channels through which consumers access fashion are diversifying significantly.
Digital indicators support this shift in consumer behaviour, with Google search data showing an 81 per cent surge in queries for “clothing markets” over the past year. Interest in vintage clothing markets has shown even stronger momentum, with an 89 per cent increase in search volume.
Regional analysis reveals Yorkshire and the Humber as the epicentre, recording a 50 per cent increase in clothing stalls and markets since 2020. The region has seen local interest in market stalls rise by 25 per cent in the past year alone.
London saw a 33 per cent increase in market stall presence with search interest for “London clothes market” rising 50 per cent year-on-year.
The West Midlands, home to Birmingham’s Bullring shopping centre, has matched London’s growth rate of 33 per cent in market stall numbers. Local search data indicates a doubling of interest in market stalls over the past year, despite the region’s substantial investment in traditional retail infrastructure.
The North West and South East regions complete the top five areas for market stall growth, recording increases of 25 per cent and 16.7 per cent respectively since 2020.
While the UK high street remains a cornerstone in the retail industry, other channels, particularly those in the value sector, are gaining traction.
