More customers prefer shopping at convenient local supercentres where available to visiting malls, says a new survey.

A survey recently conducted by SouqExtra!, a new concept chain of neighbourhood supercentres, indicates a changing trend in the retail market with the demand for community centres on the rise, and more people preferring to make a quick stop at a convenient neighbourhood centres to meet their daily needs.

The survey also showed that visits to malls were now down to 2-3 times a week, due to factors such as increased time spent stuck in traffic. Forty per cent of shoppers approached in the survey said they would shop at the nearest major convenience store.

“The results of the survey confirmed our faith in the benefits community supercentres like SouqExtra! provide customers, particularly in relation to convenience and time-saving factors,” said Saleh Abdullah Lootah, managing director of SouqExtra!.

“A very high percentage of people who live close to such outlets become frequent customers.”

Lootah added: “Supermarkets in malls demonstrate a very small percentage growth which provides a good opportunity for community centers to flourish.”

“There seems to be a general trend favouring the modern trade sector, which is growing at a much faster rate than the traditional trade sector. In fact, market predictions indicate that in a few years the modern trade sector will overtake the traditional trade sector,” he concluded. – TradeArabia News Service