Two in three neighbourhood stores now keep accounts on a phone, traders' survey finds

Two in three neighbourhood grocery stores now keep their accounts on a phone app rather than only in a paper notebook, according to a survey of 4,000 small shops released by the All Neighbourhood Retailers' Association, a traders' body.

The biggest change is in how shops track credit given to regular customers, a practice at the heart of the neighbourhood store. Apps send customers a text message with their balance after each purchase.