Category Archives: University of Stirling

Webinar: “A New Future for Scotland’s Town Centres”

Posted on February 17, 2021 by Leigh Sparks

The Town Centre Action Plan Review was published on the 3rd February. On the 18th February (1430-1530), Scotland’s Towns Partnership are holding a webinar launching the Review. There may be few spaces left (but capacity is close to being reached) … Continue reading →

Posted in 20 Minute Neighbourhood, Barclay Review, Car Parking, Climate Emergency, Community, Community Assets, Community Ownership, Creative Places, Government, High Streets, Leadership, Legislation, Local Authorities, Localisation, Places, Public Policy, Public Realm, Rates, Regeneration, Regulation, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Scotland's Towns Partnership, Scottish Government, Small Towns, Social Inequality, Social Justice, Streets, Streetscapes, Sustainability, Sustainable Development, Town Centre Action Plan, Town Centre Action Plan Review Group, town centre first, Town Centre Living, Town Centre Review, Town Centres, Towns, Uncategorized, Understanding Scottish Places, University of Stirling, USP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

2020 – my year in articles

Posted on January 11, 2021 by Leigh Sparks

This blog contains my thoughts and views about retailing and retail change and is very much my own voice, providing some immediate commentary on current themes (mainly).  I do though have other outlets for my research and writing and whilst … Continue reading →

Posted in Academics, Brands, Consumers, Convenience stores, Health, Healthcare Retail Standard, Hospital Shops, Institute for Retail Studies, Loyalty, NHS Health Scotland, Public Health, Retail Change, Retail Policy, Retailing, Town Centre Review, Uncategorized, University of Stirling | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Convenience and Local Shop Retailing (and the new @Coopuk @StirUni)

Posted on November 5, 2020 by Leigh Sparks

On the 22nd October the Co-op opened its latest convenience store, at the heart of the University of Stirling.  This was the first Co-op franchise in Scotland and is part of the growth of the Co-op and the convenience and … Continue reading →

Posted in Association of Convenience Stores, ATMs, Community, Consumers, Convenience, Convenience stores, Cooperative Group, Cooperatives, Covid19, Entrepreneurship, Food Retailing, Independents, Local Retailers, Post Offices, Scotland, Scottish Grocers Federation, Scottish Local Retailer, Scottish Retailing, Self-checkout, Small Shops, Uncategorized, University of Stirling | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Retailing, Shopping and Covid-19

Posted on May 19, 2020 by Leigh Sparks

Over the last couple of months I have produced on this blog a range of pieces around retailing, shopping and the coronavirus pandemic.  There will no doubt be more to be said as the situation develops. One of these pieces … Continue reading →

Posted in Community, Consumer Change, Consumers, Covid19, Employment, Employment practices, Government, High Streets, Independents, Institute for Retail Studies, Internet shopping, Lockdown, Multichannel, Online Retailing, Panic buying, Places, Public Policy, Reinvention, Retail Change, Retail Policy, Retail Sales, Retailers, Retailing, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Scotland's Towns Partnership, Scottish Government, Scottish Retailing, Shopping, Social Inequality, Tax, Town Centres, Towns, Uncategorized, University of Stirling | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Supermarket Nightmares: Keeping your Distance

Posted on April 21, 2020 by Leigh Sparks

In, what seems like an eternity ago.  I got into a degree of trouble for suggesting that food retailers, for good or bad, were ‘social engineers’ and we needed to recognise and understand the implications of this.  This was on … Continue reading →

Posted in Academics, Amazon Go, Behavioural Economics, Consumer Change, Consumer Choice, Consumers, Dark Stores, Design, Employment practices, Food Retailing, Food Standards Scotland, Health, Panic buying, Retail Change, Retailers, Social Inequality, Supermarket, Uncategorized, University of Stirling, Well being | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Retail Armageddon or Reinvention?

Posted on March 6, 2020 by Leigh Sparks

On the 3rd March, the University of Stirling, the Stirling Management School and the Institute for Retail Studies were very pleased to host the Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, Helen Dickinson, OBE.  In front of an audience of … Continue reading →

Posted in Accounting, BRC, Brexit, Consumer Change, Employees, Government, Institute for Retail Studies, Internet shopping, Legislation, Local Retailers, Online Retailing, Rates, Regeneration, Regulation, Reinvention, Retail brands, Retail Change, Retail Policy, Scottish Government, Scottish Grocers Federation, Scottish Retailing, Small Shops, Technology, Uncategorized, University of Stirling | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Making Hospital Shops Healthier

Posted on February 24, 2020 by Leigh Sparks

Over the last seven or so years, for a variety of personal reasons, I have seen more of the insides of hospitals than I have wanted to.  I am not alone in this at my life stage of course.  Those … Continue reading →

Posted in Alcohol, Behavioural Economics, Consumer Lifestyle, Diet and Health, Food Retailing, Food Standards Scotland, Government, Health, Healthcare Retail Standard, Healthy Living, Hospital, Hospital Shops, Institute for Retail Studies, NHS Health Scotland, Promotion, Public Health lev, Regulation, Research, Retailers, Scottish Government, Scottish Grocers Federation, Tobacco, Uncategorized, University of Stirling, Well being | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Place Based Loyalty

Posted on January 13, 2020 by Leigh Sparks

We have a new academic paper out – on place marketing and place based loyalty schemes (details at end of blog) – and in addition to wanting to say something about it, I felt the time was ripe for setting … Continue reading →

Posted in Bids Scotland, Data, Local Multiplier, Local Retailers, Localisation, Perth, Places, Retailers, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Stirling, Uncategorized, University of Stirling, Urban | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Fighting Fit? Independent Convenience Stores and the Public Health Agenda

Posted on November 29, 2019 by Leigh Sparks

The last 2019 Cross Party Group for Independent Convenience Stores, held last week, was a cracker.  With all the excitement of the AGM (not really), it was almost too much to have three excellent presentations on retailing and the public … Continue reading →

Posted in Academics, Alcohol, Best Start Foods, Convenience stores, Cross Party Group, Deposit Return Scheme, Diet and Health, Food Retailing, Food Standards Scotland, Government, Healthcare Retail Standard, Healthy Living, Independents, Internet shopping, Legislation, Local Retailers, Politicians, Products, Regulation, Retail leadership, Retail Policy, Scotland, Scottish Government, Scottish Grocers Federation, Scottish Local Retailer, Scottish Retailing, Small Shops, Sugar Tax, Uncategorized, University of Stirling | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Shops: More or Less (and #IndieHour)

Posted on November 11, 2019 by Leigh Sparks

This blog has a number of recurring themes – or nightmares.  Most of them are focused around the themes of the mis-use of data, the lack of reaction about the structural change underway across retailing and the unwillingness of many … Continue reading →

Posted in #IndieHour, Collaboration, Consumers, High Streets, Independents, Internet shopping, Landlords, Online Retailing, Reinvention, Relationships, Rents, Retail Change, Retailers, Small Shops, Start-ups, Towns, Uncategorized, University of Stirling, Vibrancy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment