The role and function of the independent small shop: the situation in Scotland

Independent shops are numerically dominant in the British retail system, providing a range of functions and roles in various locational situations. Reporting on survey work in Scotland with independent shop owners and their customers, this paper details these roles and functions as well as attitudes towards the provision. The community and social role played by these shops in certain locations is emphasized, while in others a breakdown of trust between retailers and consumers is identified. Policy making about independent retailing needs to understand more closely these differences by locational type.