66% of rural shops have seen an increase in sales since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic

Back in November, the Countryside Alliance launched the Rural Shops Survey which aimed to gather information on how rural businesses had to adapt given the challenges of the past nine months. In gaining this insight, we wanted to see just how much people were beginning to rely on the unsung heroes of our rural communities by supporting local and shopping with small businesses.

The full report including a breakdown of the results can be found here.

COVID-19 has been a difficult time for many rural businesses. Whether it has meant adapting a business, furloughing staff or responding to unprecedented demand for services, the one thing we all know is that the dedication and hard work that has been going on behind the scenes to keep the show on the road has been a herculean effort.

We have also seen many acts of heroism - from small acts of kindness that put a smile on someone's face, to bringing the whole community together. The support that you have offered to others and the role you play in your community cannot be underestimated. You might not be working on the NHS front line, but you are certainly are on the front line for our rural communities.

66% of those surveyed said they had seen an increase in sales since the beginning of the pandemic. When it came to surveying just how much those sales had increased by, 64% said their sales had grown between 20% and 50%. However, that is only part of the story. When asked if the closure of the hospitality industry had negatively impacted their business, 50% answered that it had.

We also asked those who took part, which products in particular saw the greatest increase in sales. The most common answers were meat, vegetables, and dairy products, as well as staple food items such as flour, eggs, and bread. The mixture of these answers shows that local communities are relying on rural shops for their everyday goods. We hope that those who may not have been using their local shops beforehand, will continue to do so as and when restrictions ease.

Read the full report here.