Retail Outlook 2026: Why 71% of Independent Retailers Are Growing - And How to Join Them

Retail Outlook 2026: Why 71% of Independent Retailers Are Growing - And How to Join Them

From The Resilient Retail Game Plan - retail insights, retail trends and best practices by Resilient Retail Club's Catherine Erdly

May 28, 2026 · 15 min · Episode 304

About this episode

The episode discusses the growth of independent retailers in the UK and insights from the Voices of Retail report.

71% of independent retailers in the UK are growing or stable. And 9 in 10 shoppers say AI has made them MORE likely to trust your shop over an algorithm. Here is what the data actually says. (Our sponsor Faire are offering 50% off and free shipping on first orders until July 31st. Simply add the code "Resilient50" at checkout) Hi, I'm retail strategist and founder of Resilient Retail Club , Catherine Erdly . Are you tired of reading headlines that make it sound like independent retail is finished? The noise about AI, empty high streets, and big-box competition can feel genuinely frightening if you are running a small business. But what if the data tells a completely different story — and what if that story is one you desperately needed to hear? In this episode, I sit down with Elyse McAvoy from Faire to unpack the Voices of Retail report — a landmark piece of research that surveyed 650 independent retailers and over 2,000 UK consumers. It is the first time a report of this kind has merged the retailer perspective and the consumer perspective into one honest picture of what is actually happening on Britain's high streets. And the findings will surprise you. Once you listen, you…

People in this episode

Host: Catherine Erdly

Guest: Elyse McAvoy

Topics covered

  • independent retail
  • AI in retail
  • retail growth
  • consumer trust
  • high street trends

Keywords

  • independent retailers
  • retail growth
  • AI trust
  • Voices of Retail report
  • UK consumers

Sponsors

Faire

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Resilient Retail Club

Places: UK

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