Out Of Town Shopping

Research conducted by MORI for King Sturge, on behalf of The Accessible Retail and Shopping Park Investors Forum has found that the likelihood among consumers to visit out of town shopping facilities over town or city centres appears to be influenced by whether people drive and whether they have a car in their household. However the decision is also determined largely by the type of goods being purchased. The research was conducted to better understand the use of transport in relation to various types of shopping and non-shopping related journeys and to look at the behaviour and attitudes of consumers with regard to different retail offers.

• When shopping for clothing or footwear, the majority of adults (70%) say they are likely to shop in town or city centres, compared with one-quarter (25%) who say they would be likely to visit out of town retail facilities.
• However, most adults say they would be likely to visit out of town shopping facilities if they were purchasing bulky items including DIY/gardening equipment (60%), furniture (51%) and electrical goods (54%).
• For food and grocery shopping, likelihood to visit each is evenly spread -- half (47%) say they are likely to visit town or city centres while the same proportion (48%) say they are likely to opt for out of town shopping facilities.

Technical details

Questions were placed on the MORI Omnibus. A nationally representative quota sample of 2,189 adults (aged 15 and over) was interviewed face-to-face throughout Great Britain by MORI in 203 different sampling points between 24-29 June 2004.

Topline Results

• Fieldwork dates: 24-29 June 2004
• All figures in percentages
• Base: Adults aged 15+ unless otherwise stated (2,189)
• Data have been weighted to the known population profile
• Number of sample points across Britain: 203
• Interviews conducted face-to-face in respondents' homes using the MORI Omnibus
• Numbers may not always add up to 100% due to computer rounding or multiple answers

Q1a On average, how often, if at all, do you personally drive a car or light van nowadays?Q1b And, on average, how often, if at all, are you a passenger in a car or light van owned or driven by someone else, for example a friend, relative or an other member of your household?

Q2a Which of the following, if any, do you consider to be the main contributors to traffic congestion in your local area? Which others?Base: All giving more than one response at q2a (1,229)Q2b And, which ONE do you consider to be the MAIN contributor towards traffic congestion in your local area?

Q3 In general, how often, if at all, do you make the following types of journey by car or light van with you personally driving?

SHOPPINGA) Going shopping in town or city centresB) Going shopping to out of town shopping centresC) Going food or grocery shopping to supermarkets or hypermarketsD) Going shopping to retail parks or large warehouse outlets for DIY/gardening equipment, furniture or electrical goods

OTHERE) Travelling to/from a place of work or stationF) Taking children to/from schoolG) Leisure activities such as dining out, going to a pub, club, cinema, sports centre or visiting places of interest

Q4 And, thinking about the last occasion on which you made each of these journeys by car or light van, with you personally driving, approximately how many miles did you travel, there and back combined?Base: All ever made each type of journey by car or light van -- driving personally.

SHOPPINGA) Going shopping in town or city centresB) Going shopping to out of town shopping centresC) Going food or grocery shopping to supermarkets or hypermarketsD) Going shopping to retail parks or large warehouse outlets for DIY/gardening equipment, furniture or electrical goods

OTHERE) Travelling to/from a place of work or stationF) Taking children to/from schoolG) Leisure activities such as dining out, going to a pub, club, cinema, sports centre or visiting places of interest

Q5 And, thinking about the last occasion on which you made each of these journeys by car or light van, with you personally driving, how many passengers were with you? Please include all adults and children and exclude yourself.Base: All ever made each type of journey by car or light van -- driving personally.

SHOPPINGA) Going shopping in town or city centresB) Going shopping to out of town shopping centresC) Going food or grocery shopping to supermarkets or hypermarketsD) Going shopping to retail parks or large warehouse outlets for DIY/gardening equipment, furniture or electrical goods

OTHERE) Travelling to/from a place of work or stationF) Taking children to/from schoolG) Leisure activities such as dining out, going to a pub, club, cinema, sports centre or visiting places of interest

Q6 For which, if any, of the following journeys would you be willing to use an ALTERNATIVE means of transport such as bus, train, tram, bicycle or foot -- instead of the car or light van? Which others?Base: all who make each journey by car

Q7 Which, if any, of the following would you be MOST LIKELY to visit If you were purchasing...A) An item of clothing or footwear?B) Food or groceries?C) Bulky DIY/gardening equipment?D) Bulky furniture?E) Bulky electrical goods?

Q8 A) What are your reasons for using out of town shopping facilities to purchase an item of clothing or footwear rather than a town or city centre? What else?Base: All who would visit out of town shopping facilities (excluding factory outlet) to buy an item of clothing or footware (526)

B) What are your reasons for using out of town shopping facilities to purchase food or groceries rather than a town or city centre? What else?Base: All who would visit out of town shopping facilities (excluding factory outlet) to buy food or groceries (1,008)

C) What are your reasons for using out of town shopping facilities to purchase bulky items such as DIY/gardening equipment, furniture or electrical goods rather than a town or city centre? What else?Base: All who would visit out of town shopping facilities (excluding factory outlet) to buy bulky items (1,505)

Q9 A) What are your reasons for using a town or city centre to purchase an item of clothing or footwear rather than out of town shopping facilities? What else?Base: All who would visit a town or city centre to buy an item of clothin or footware (1,534)

B) What are your reasons for using a town or city centre to purchase food or groceries rather than out of town shopping facilities? What else?Base: All who would visit a town or city centre to buy food or groceries (1,038)

C) What are your reasons for using a town or city centre to purchase bulky items such as) DIY/gardening equipment, furniture or electrical goods rather than out of town shopping facilities? What else?Base: All who would visit a town or city centre to purchase bulky items (844)

Q10 Cars/Vans in Household (NO CHARGE)