The study, presented at the Pascual Rivas Hall of the Old Teacher Training School, provides a comprehensive diagnosis of consumer habits in this segment. It reveals that proximity retail constitutes nearly 14% of Jaén's business fabric, characterized by being predominantly small family businesses, with 95.5% of establishments employing five or fewer people.

The rector of the University of Jaén, Nicolás Ruiz, emphasized that this work marks the beginning of the Jaén Proximity Retail Observatory, a key initiative to provide specific data to facilitate local decision-making.

Among the most notable findings, the report identifies a “paradox” in consumer behavior: while 88% of the population considers small businesses vital for the vitality of neighborhoods, large chains account for over 50% of total spending. Furthermore, between 2020 and 2024, there has been a decrease in the number of retail businesses, indicating a progressive loss of these establishments.

Despite this trend, proximity retail remains the second most used shopping format, capturing 26 out of every 100 euros spent. Consumers over 55 are the most loyal, while one of the main challenges is to attract younger consumers.

The study also proposes transformation strategies, such as digitalization. Nearly 50% of consumers do not use digital channels to interact with these businesses, although 90% state they would shop more if basic services like online ordering were offered. Likewise, it emphasizes the need to evolve towards service-centric models, foster collaboration among businesses, and adapt urban policies to improve the sector's competitiveness.

The mayor of Jaén, Julio Millán, valued the report as a fundamental tool to strengthen a “structuring and essential” sector. For its part, the Business Federation of Commerce and Services highlighted the economic impact of the sector, which has over 8,500 establishments, generates more than 20,000 jobs, and exceeds 5 billion euros in turnover.