A new study is suggesting that retail success on the high street is being driven not by price, but by brand storytelling, in-store experience and community connection.
The Voices of Retail report by Spring & Autumn Fair and Faire combines insights from 650 UK retailers and more than 2,000 consumers. The findings show that, while 71% of independent retailers are stable or growing, those investing in brand, experience and customer connection are significantly outperforming their peers.
Independents investing in brand storytelling are 19 percentage points more likely to report growth, while those enhancing their in-store experience and sourcing locally see a further 13-point uplift compared to those in decline. In contrast, retailers competing on price are significantly more likely to be under pressure, with 45% of struggling businesses having pivoted towards lower-cost products.
Beyond individual store strategy, the Voices of Retail report highlights collaboration as one of the most under-utilised growth levers on the high street. While 89% of retailers who collaborate with other local businesses report a positive commercial impact, from increased footfall to new customer acquisition, just 23% are actively doing so. The report also highlights significant regional variation, with areas such as Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire outperforming the national average.
Free parking emerges as the single most powerful opportunity to boost sales, cited by 38% of retailers as the top intervention to unlock growth. Over two thirds of consumers (69%) said free parking should be readily available for shoppers staying under 90 minutes.
With 96% of consumers calling for more independent shops, and willing to spend up to £145 more per month on their local high street if the offer improves, the opportunity for retailers to drive future success has never been clearer, the report concludes.
Charlotte Broadbent, general manager at Faire, said: “We set out on a mission to understand what’s really happening on Britain’s high streets, to see if there’s more to the narrative than people think. And the reality is more encouraging. The British public doesn’t just want more independents on their high street, they want independent retailers to be their high street.
“Shoppers aren’t just looking for the cheapest option, they’re looking for people and places they believe in. Shopkeepers have an important role to play as our trusted experts and there’s big spending power on the table for those who get it right.”
She added: “But retailers can’t do it alone – they’re already running their business and wearing many hats. The conditions around them need to catch up. With free parking, better local support, and a high street that’s genuinely easy to visit, the infrastructure can match the demand. It’s time we backed our independents and made the high street easily accessible.”
