The geographical redistribution of retail outlets in Sweden 1998–2008

Detailed descriptive data are used to analyse the geographical redistribution of different kinds of retail. It is shown that in 2008, town centres generally still had a strong position as retail centres, although many small towns (including their centres) had been depleted of their retailers during the previous 10 years. Locations in built-up areas, outside of retail agglomerations, seem to be most affected by ‘shop death’. A diffuse tendency to dispersion, countering the general trend towards concentration, can be observed in rural areas. Shops specialised in durable goods are leaving town centres everywhere, no matter whether large out-of-town developments are established or not. There are also indications that the customer base necessary for a shop to make a profit has increased. These findings fit well with established explanations and underpin the insight that the growth of out-of-town developments is a symptom of restructuring forces, rather than a cause of restructuring.