The line graph illustrates the number of shop closures and openings in a particular country over the period of eight years, from 2011 to 2018.
Overall, the number of shop closures consistently exceeded the number of new shop openings throughout the period, except for a brief period in 2014 when they were almost equal.
From 2011 to 2013, there was a significant increase in the number of shop closures, peaking at over 8,000 in 2012. In contrast, the number of new shop openings remained relatively steady, hovering just below the 2,000 mark. However, from 2013 to 2016, there was a gradual decline in the number of shop closures, dropping to below 4,000 by 2016. Concurrently, the number of new shop openings surged to over 3,000, reaching a peak in 2016.
In the subsequent years 2017 and 2018, there was a slight increase in shop closures, rising marginally above 4,000 in 2017 before settling at approximately 4,000 in 2018. On the other hand, the number of new shop openings experienced a slight decline, falling to around 2,500 in 2017 and maintaining a similar level in 2018. The period from 2011 to 2018 saw consistent dominance of shop closures over openings, indicating a challenging retail environment during this time span.