The report monitoring changes in retail activity on 56 shopping streets shows an increase in the number of shops between June 2009 and June 2010. 53 new units were created, bringing the total from 9,988 to 10,041 (+5%). This net increase results from a significant realignment of business activities, with 438 shop or commercial service closures and 491 new creations.
The increase is linked to an accompanying decline in shop vacancies, the number of vacant premises falling from 536 to 492 (-44 vacant premises). The shop vacancy rate dropped to a very low level on these shopping streets : 4.3%, compared to 4.7% the year before (Parisian average : 9.4% in 2007).
It is to be noted that growth in the number of retail outlets (+53 units between June 2009 and June 2010) follows on from the slight drop observed in the previous survey (-29 units between June 2008 and June 2009) during a period affected by the financial crisis. The growth rate in 2010 can no doubt be seen as a pointer to economic recovery.
The sector that has benefited most from the rising number of creations is the restaurant industry (+54 restaurants), especially fast-food (+29). There has also been also an increase in the number of fashion shops (+12) and food shops (+11). However, the number of stores in the cultural, leisure activity, arts and crafts (-11) and the home decorating (-9 )sectors has dropped.
Some questions remain unanswered : notably to know whether the increase in the number of retail outlets on the 56 streets mirrors the dynamism of Parisian trade in general, or results from a concentration of commercial activity on the main shopping streets. The BDCom 2011 survey should provide some of the answers.
