A new study has suggested that the rise of safe shopping online may be responsible for growing feelings of loneliness and isolation in the UK, particularly amongst consumers who are over the age of 55, according to the Express.

The survey, commissioned by A-Plan, found that 75 per cent of people of all ages believe that the high street is an important aspect of their local community and can help to foster a feeling of societal involvement in the people that visit it.

Meanwhile, 57 per cent of respondents claimed that they are worried about the extent to which safe shopping online will leave people feeling more isolated.

Nine out of 10 people questioned said that they believed in the need to support local businesses, which could see a change of pace for the high street, in which big brands are replaced by smaller operators that are able to glean help from the public.

Of course, the internet can also be seen as providing a vital way for people to stay in touch with one another and make purchases that would otherwise be impossible, based on their geographic location. Isolated communities which are far from the nearest city or town need no longer be so afflicted by their position if they have access to online shopping.

It is also worth remembering that the rise of click & collect services is meaning that people are combining online shopping with visits to real world stores to pick up the goods they have ordered. This should help to mitigate some of the worries over the extent to which people will begin to feel ostracised as a result of their shopping habits.

The future of retail will not be tied down to one platform but will span both the web and the high street.