Online retailing’s unavoidable effects on the property market

In recent quarters, household spending growth has largely been driven by the expanding population. Retailers have reported improved trading conditions, but rising vacancy rates in the retail property market indicate that not all is well in the industry. There has been a lot of discussion about the need for retailers to adapt their business models in response to online competition . Consolidation in the physical retailing environment is clearly taking place, but it is questionable whether retail property owners have fully grasped the negative implications these trends have for their own businesses.