High street must ‘shrink’ warns Sainsbury’s boss

At a speech at the City Food Lecture in London on Wednesday, King will say: “What I think we need to do is… be brave enough to shrink the high street and allow empty shops to be converted for other uses such as residential where there is over-capacity.”

He is to defend supermarkets – often blamed for the decline of the high street – and lay the blame at local shops for failing to tailor their offer to the local population.

The grocery boss believes local shops should have used schemes such as loyalty cards to engage local customers and will say that high streets were a “poor second” to out-of-town shopping centres, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The Sainsbury’s boss will say: “Where high streets have declined, I do not believe that the blame can be laid at the door of supermarkets.  

“Supermarkets have reflected society and changes in society. Many shoppers do not have the time to potter between the butcher, the baker and grocer.”

King’s comments come at a time of great focus on the high street led by retail guru Mary Portas. The Government is due to respond to her High Street Review in the spring.

He will also praise plans in London to convert some empty shops to classrooms and say he believes the high street is not necessarily “doomed” after the encroachment of supermarkets and the internet on trade.