Retail Transformation and Old Retailers: Can They Adapt to Change?

Pedro Porfírio GUIMARÃES1
1 Lisbon University, Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning, Centre for Geographical Studies, Lisbon, PORTUGAL
E-mail: pedroguimaraes@campus.ul.pt
Pages: 125-131

Abstract. Over the past decades there have been changes in cities with consequences for its vitality and viability. Recently we have witnessed new changes with the increase of new city centres scattered around the city and surroundings. The retail sector has followed this trend, and can even be considered as one of its anchors, through the construction of large shopping centers. These changes have caused impacts on the retail structure of the once dominant historic city centre. With less capacity to adapt to the changes that have been affecting the sector, the old retailers of these areas have seen their importance shrink. The consumption patterns have been changing quickly and the communication between retailers and consumers have been using new tools. Based on data collected through interviews conducted under REPLACIS project,  into three areas of Lisbon, this article aims to confirm whether it’s possible to classify the profile of retailers based on the use of new forms of communication and age stratum. After the analyses of the data we confirm the relation. In terms of retail planning this means that new measures should be implemented in order to revitalize city centres.

K e y w o r d s:  retail planning, city centres, modernization techniques, retail transformation, retailers age stratum