This article focuses on the urban retailers. The author gives an overview of the literature on the subject of car restraint and retailing. The evidence is rather inconclusive. Long term and short effects often differ. Other causes mostly have a stronger direct influence on turnover than car restraint. However car restraint certainly does change things. It accelerates changes which were going on already or were imminent. It can change the types of shops that flourish. It can influence the competitive relation between inner city shops and shopping centres elsewhere. To the good of the inner city shops when they have enough uniqueness (their surroundings included): the car restraint then solidifies their position as something special. Or to the bad if they do not possess anything very special in the eyes of the consumers. (A)
Samenvatting