The line graph delineates the fluctuations in the number of retail establishments that ceased operations juxtaposed with those that inaugurated in a particular country from 2011 to 2018.
Overall, the data reveals a downward trajectory in both closures and openings throughout the examined period, with a marked decline in openings by the end of the timeframe, contrasting with the predominance of closures in later years.
In 2011, the number of newly opened shops reached its zenith at approximately 7,500, whereas closures were slightly higher at around 8,500. The following year, both metrics experienced a decline, with openings falling to 6,500 and closures to 7,500. The trend of openings oscillated, hitting a low of 4,000 in 2014, before experiencing a brief uplift to 5,000 in 2015. However, the subsequent years witnessed a consistent decrease, culminating in approximately 3,000 openings by 2018, revealing a significant contraction in new retail establishments post-2015.
In stark contrast, the number of shop closures exhibited variability, commencing at 8,500 in 2011 and peaking at about 6,500 in 2013. Following this peak, closures dropped to 4,000 in 2014, before plummeting to an all-time low of 1,000 in 2015. Thereafter, closures hovered just below 6,000, maintaining a relatively stable trajectory until 2018, when they reached approximately 5,500. This indicates that, despite the fluctuations, the overall pattern suggests a concerning upward trend in shop closures towards the end of the observation period.