UK shops at risk from net zero plan, warns Savills 

Around 13% of British shopping centres and stores could be in trouble by 2023 due to legislation that requires minimum energy ratings for commercial properties.

Landlords of most of the UK’s stores and shopping centres may struggle to find tenants by the end of this decade as the properties don’t meet the minimum energy standards of the UK government’s net-zero strategy.

That’s the finding of a new report from property broker Savills, which estimates that 1.4bn sq ft of retail space (83% of all current stock) will need to be improved by 2030 to comply with proposals that are expected to become law by then.