As an invigorating, inspirational speaker at Autumn Fair last September, Mary Portas stressed the importance of the ‘kindness economy’, with retailers across the spectrum needing to tap into people’s sensitivities and personal values, especially in relation to the planet and sustainability.
“The retailers who place people and community at the heart of their business are on the up,” she told attendees. “People are putting people, the planet and profit together and if, as retailer, you are doing it the right way, then profit will come from it.”
With non-essential retailers, to include gift shops, getting ready to open their doors next Monday (June 15), what advice would she give to independents post-lockdown?
“We have a window of opportunity to reclaim shopping locally, something that seemed to be dying out before this crisis. According to researchers Global Data, almost one in three people in the UK say they will visit local shops more frequently now,” she told the Daily Mail last week. “But we don’t support independents out of altruism alone. We’re after a better experience, a stronger connection.”
She continued: “Of course profit is vital – but now, more than ever, retailers need to lean into their role as a ‘relationshop’. This means serving an existing community – and creating a new sense of community that exists beyond bricks and mortar.”
Top: Mary Portas is shown on stage at Autumn Fair last year.
