1. AskVC:
How to get the British back to the high street?
AskVC is a free service. Questions shouted out on Twitter, using the #AskVC hashtag, are reviewed and the
winners asked as part of Vision Critical’s UK omnibus.
This survey was conducted 13th January, 2012, with a base just over 2000 people. If you’d like to know more
about Vision Critical’s omnibus or online field services please contact will.cooper@visioncritical.com.

2. Despite recent gloomy reports from retailers, some 46% of people still go shopping in their high
street at least once a week and Londoners are the most likely (61%) to do this. About half of adults
go shopping in the high street less frequently (25% go about two to three times a month and 24%
go about once a month or less often). Only a small minority (5%) say they never shop in the high
street at all.
Vision Critical surveyed a representative sample of 2,014 UK adults to understand just how
frequently they go shopping in the high street and more importantly the factors that might
persuade them to shop there more often.
Will lower prices and cheaper parking lure shoppers back to the high street?
Respondents were asked to list the factors that would encourage them to increase their high
street shopping. Overall, more competitive prices (55%) and low-cost/free parking (46%) are the
most commonly mentioned initiatives on shoppers’ wish list, which is hardly surprisingly given the
current economic climate.
Competitive pricing is the top priority for all demographic groups and shopper segments. The idea
of cheaper prices, special offers and discounts is especially valued amongst those who already
shop in the high street at least once a week (61%), younger customers aged 18-34 years old (59%
compared with 52% for those over 55) and those in the North and Scotland (58% versus 53% for
the rest of the country).
How to get the British back to the High Street?

3. Strategies for getting more shoppers back to the high street
Low-cost or free parking receives the second highest number of mentions overall, although it is
listed by fewer people in London and Scotland than the rest of the country (33% and 36% versus
49% for the rest of the country). However, even in London and Scotland it is one of the strongest
drivers.
The third and fourth most commonly mentioned factors are more independent/specialist stores
(37%) and more high street chains (26%) – which illustrates that more choice may be what is
needed. Independent stores are particularly attractive to those over 55 years, but less so to
people under 35 (42% versus 31%) This message confirms that multiple fast-food takeaways,
multiple charity shops, indeed multiple anything are probably bad news for a high street.
Amongst those under 35 years old, one-in-five say free Wi-Fi would attract them to the high street
more often, a figure which drops to just 6% amongst those 35 and over.
The 5% of people who say they never shop in the high street are perhaps the least interesting
target for those striving to increase footfall in our high streets. Firstly, they are quite a small group
and secondly 40% of them say that none of the suggested initiatives would encourage them to
visit the high street. The 60% who did state measures that would encourage them to return to the
high street wanted pretty much the same as other shoppers.
How to get the British back to the High Street?

4. Q. How often do you go shopping in your local high street?
Q . What would encourage you to do more shopping in your local high street?
See Appendix for details of question format
Base = 2014 respondents
How often do you go shopping
in your local high street?
What would encourage you to
shop more in the high street?
55%
46%
37%
26%
10%
9%
6%
6%
13%
More competitive prices/offers
Low- cost/free parking
More independent/specialist…
More high street chains
Free Wi-Fi
Street entertainment
More coffee shops
Other
None of the above
Never5%
At least once
a week 46%
2-3 times a
month 25%
Once a
month 24%

5. Q. How often do you go shopping in your local high street?
Q . What would encourage you to do more shopping in your local high street?
See Appendix for details of question format
Base = 2014 respondents
What would encourage you to do more shopping
in your local high street?

6. Appendix
Data Tables
Single choice button question format; Multiple choice button question format

7. Q. How often do you go shopping in your local high street?
See Appendix for details of question format
Total
Gender Age Social Grade
Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ ABC1 C2DE
BASE: All
Respondents 2014 976 1038 567 726 720 1028 986
BASE:
UNWEIGHTED 2014 986 1028 589 726 699 974 1040
Yes, at least once
a week
930 448 482 222 323 385 446 484
46% 46% 46% 39% 44% 53% 43% 49%
Yes, about two to
three times a
month
502 245 257 170 187 145 283 219
25% 25% 25% 30% 26% 20% 28% 22%
Yes, but only once
a month or less
often
486 234 252 143 185 159 249 238
24% 24% 24% 25% 25% 22% 24% 24%
Never 96 49 46 32 32 32 50 45
5% 5% 4% 6% 4% 4% 5% 5%

8. Total
Region
London
Rest of
South
Midlands/
Wales North Scotland
BASE: All
Respondents 2014 256 650 433 497 179
BASE:
UNWEIGHTED 2014 255 614 420 558 167
Yes, at least once a
week
930 155 299 175 241 60
46% 61% 46% 40% 48% 34%
Yes, about two to
three times a
month
502 55 152 118 114 64
25% 21% 23% 27% 23% 36%
Yes, but only once a
month or less often
486 35 165 114 126 46
24% 14% 25% 26% 25% 26%
Never
96 11 34 26 16 9
5% 4% 5% 6% 3% 5%
Q. How often do you go shopping in your local high street?
See Appendix for details of question format

9. Q. What would encourage you to do more shopping in your local high street?
See Appendix for details of question format
Total
Frequency of shopping
In local high street
At least
once a week
2-3 times a
month
Once a month
or less often Never
BASE: All Respondents
2014 930 502 486 96
BASE: UNWEIGHTED 2014 935 501 487 91
More competitive
pricing/discounts
1110 564 272 249 24
55% 61% 54% 51% 25%
Low- cost/free parking 85 411 237 250 29
33% 44% 47% 51% 31%
More independent /specialist
stores
753 384 196 152 21
37% 41% 39% 31% 22%
More high street chains 517 265 143 95 15
26% 28% 28% 19% 16%
Free Wi-Fi 207 91 60 49 7
10% 10% 12% 10% 7%
Other (please specify) 121 36 31 39 15
6% 4% 6% 8% 16%
None of the above 261 95 55 72 39
13% 10% 11% 15% 40%

10. Q. What would encourage you to do more shopping in your local high street?
See Appendix for details of question format
Total
Gender Age Social Grade
Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ ABC1 C2DE
BASE: All Respondents
2014 976 1038 567 726 720 1028 986
BASE: UNWEIGHTED 2014 986 1028 589 726 699 974 1040
More competitive
pricing/discounts
1110 547 563 336 401 374 543 567
55% 56% 54% 59% 55% 52% 53% 58%
Low- cost/free parking 927 470 457 252 332 343 503 424
46% 48% 44% 44% 46% 48% 49% 43%
More independent
/specialist stores
753 367 386 175 273 305 426 327
37% 38% 37% 31% 38% 42% 41% 33%
More high street chains 517 217 300 146 195 176 230 287
26% 22% 29% 26% 27% 24% 22% 29%
Free Wi-Fi 207 138 68 121 57 29 104 103
10% 14% 7% 21% 8% 4% 10% 10%
Other (please specify) 121 49 72 22 50 49 67 54
6% 5% 7% 4% 7% 7% 7% 5%
None of the above 261 126 135 67 85 109 121 140
13% 13% 13% 12% 12% 15% 12% 14%

11. Q. What would encourage you to do more shopping in your local high street?
See Appendix for details of question format
Total
Region
London
Rest of
South
Midlands
Wales North Scotland
BASE: All Respondents
2014 256 650 433 497 179
BASE: UNWEIGHTED 2014 255 614 420 558 167
More competitive
pricing/discounts
1110 139 352 225 291 104
55% 54% 54% 52% 59% 58%
Low- cost/free parking 85 341 201 235 64 85
33% 52% 47% 47% 36% 33%
More independent /specialist
stores
753 87 242 163 187 75
37% 34% 37% 38% 38% 42%
More high street chains 517 56 181 125 113 43
26% 22% 28% 29% 23% 24%
Free Wi-Fi 207 37 71 38 46 15
10% 14% 11% 9% 9% 9%
Other (please specify) 121 17 35 29 28 12
6% 7% 5% 7% 6% 7%
None of the above 261 39 68 65 56 33
13% 15% 10% 15% 11% 18%

12. Single choice button question format

13. Multiple choice button question format