Deserted stores, less choice … has shopping changed for ever?

Retail was in crisis even before Covid. Now the virus has created so much turmoil that the future is becoming hard to read

After nearly two years of disruption, Covid-19 has changed how we shop for ever. It has altered not only what we buy, but how we buy it. Big purchases involve clicks, not shopping trips, and remote working has turned the home interiors market into the new fast fashion.

It has also signalled the end of overwhelming choice for consumers, analysts say, as gaps on shelves and long delivery times for items such as cars and sofas become a frustrating fact of life.