Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has today (14 July) launched its Retail Market Review 2025, which reflects on activity, trends and challenges faced in the first half of the year for convenience stores, retail investments and more in the UK, as well as giving an outlook for the rest of the year.
The report notes that sentiment among operators in the retail sector remains generally positive, with the number of buyers “consistently exceeding the number of high quality opportunities on the market,” it says.
The report shows transactional activity in the first half of the year has remained consistent with the upward trend seen in 2024, and as of June Christie & Co had completed on 96 retail deals - a 41% increase compared to the same time last year.
However, the report acknowledges the ongoing operational challenges convenience retailers are facing, such as staffing and crime, as well as inflationary cost pressures which are impacting them, and also forecasts that the price of products will increase to counteract this.
For convenience store specifically, it continues to be a ‘seller’s market’ with many owners looking to retain and expand their businesses. It says there is strong demand for “high quality, high turnover stores and businesses which can be upscaled with investment.”
For many, short-term growth is being achieved through partnerships with symbol groups, alongside refurbishment work and introducing new operating innovations. There is also growing willingness amongst existing retailers to travel a little further to acquire the right business, it says.
Steve Rodell, managing director for retail and leisure at Christie & Co, said: “Despite persistent headwinds, the retail sector continues to show strong fundamentals across convenience stores and forecourts. Appetite remains high for quality businesses and we’re seeing increasing agility from buyers to adapt their acquisition strategies in pursuit of long-term value. As the year progresses, we expect confidence to hold firm, supported by strong trading dynamics and a pipeline of live opportunities.”
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