Rural retail in Czechia: Current situation and future perspectives in comparison with other European countries

Abstract

In this paper, we start by presenting the continued decline of retail grocery stores in rural areas of Czechia. The decline is seen as especially severe in the villages with less than 1,000 inhabitants. The aim of this paper is to identify factors influencing the current situation and the sustainability of rural grocery stores. By examining official statistics from Czechia and selected European countries, we see how the rural retail sector is monitored. Differences in the external and internal environment of rural grocery stores are identified. Accordingly, we also present the preliminary findings from in-depth interviews with rural grocery storekeepers in Southwestern Bohemia. The paper ends with a summary of the current situation in rural retail. In policy terms, the research shows that more work needs to be done to identify, quantify and then promote the advantages of rural retail. The contribution of this paper is focused on the sustainability of entrepreneurship in rural retail.