O2’s Dunne: Our high street stores will survive shift to online shopping

O2’s chief executive Ronan Dunne says the mass-market appeal of high street mobile shops helps protect them from closure

O2’s chief executive Ronan Dunne has said high street mobile phone retailers in the UK will survive changes in consumer behaviour that have recently claimed Comet, Jessops and HMV.

In the last few months several high street electronics retailers have gone into administration as shoppers increasingly shop online.

Today at a Telefónica event in London Dunne said mobile retailers are less likely to go under.

Dunne said: “With mobile there is definitely an ongoing role to play [for high street shops].

“What is different about the mobile industry is that there is still a discovery phase, with lots of technological change.

“While you can do research online part of that must involve touch and feel of devices. I think the role of the high street and the physical retailer is still the future.

“My sense is, and this may be wrong, that Jessops became more specialist and higher end.

“The beauty of the mobile market is it is so wide, stores appeal to the mass market.”