Anything but armageddon for the high street: Targeting the winners in the new world of retail

Bricks and mortar can still mix it with e-commerce

The retail landscape of today looks very different to that of a year ago. While a shift has been underway for some time, Covid-19 has accelerated trends. Investors must identify how these will play out after the pandemic.

The battle taking place for survival between e-commerce and bricks & mortar retailers has parallels with the disruption in the airline industry in the 1980s and 1990s. The arrival of low-cost airlines radically changed the airline industry, adopting new business models where consumers were levied additional charges at every opportunity. This innovative approach dispelled the notion that customers preferred services to low prices and this is where we see the parallel with the disruption taking place in retail today. Price is key. Sentiment towards UK equities remains negative in Sep...