While they’re certainly key to driving the digital age, it appears that Gen Z and Millennial shoppers are also the most frequent visitors to UK retail stores, especially when it comes to shopping for fashion.

While 40% of UK consumers now visit non-food stores once a week, 46% of Millennials make weekly trips to stores, according to the latest research from physical retail analytics firm RetailNext.

Its research of over 1,000 UK shoppers showed when it comes to fashion retail, 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 stores every week (28% vs 13%).

Similarly, for health & beauty, Gen Z are also 1.7 times more likely to visit stores weekly (34% vs 20% of average shoppers), while the proportion of Millennials taking trips to health & beauty stores each week is now 5% 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,” Gary Whittemore, Head of Sales EMEA & APAC at RetailNext said.  

“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 IRL (in real life), we’re seeing rafts of younger shoppers leading the store revival both here in the UK and over in the US, choosing the store as their channel of choice.”

Its wider research also tells us UK consumers are showing wider support for UK high street retailers with 71% having wanted to see them better supported in the recent Budget, and with 75% wanting 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, the report claims.
 
Whittemore added: “For many years now, we’ve heard death knell after death knell sounding the impending doom of the High Street. 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.”