Maltese retail businesses identify accessibility and transport infrastructure as the major factors affecting their business in a market barometer conducted by PwC.
More than 23% of the participants interviewed by PwC identified parking, accessibility and public transport as the top key factors affecting their business. The telephone survey intended as a barometer of the retail market sentiment, was carried out by PwC during the third week of March 2013 and targeted the food and beverage, clothing, ICT and the cultural and recreational retail businesses in Valletta, Sliema, Hamrun and Paola. Competition, customer spending ability and utility costs emerge to be other common concerns.
Participants were also asked about the level of business registered in the latest festive period in December 2012 and January 2013 as compared to the corresponding period in the previous year, and their outlook for 2013. Whilst the majority of the respondents either registered a fall or experienced the same level of business activity, the majority of the participants have a positive or stable outlook for 2013.
The full results of the market barometer analysed by locality, in which more than 200 businesses participated, are reproduced in full below.
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