Her recommendations are expected to recommend increasing the cost of out-of-town parking to encourage shoppers back into town centres.

This must have encouraged shoppers to restrict their high street visits to as few individual trips as possible.

As they did last year to encourage shoppers in a slowing economy, stores again began discounting merchandise well before Christmas.

And some stores encouraged shoppers to buy higher-priced goods, promoting brand-name labels that carry higher profit margins.

The irregular mall plan encouraged shoppers to stroll along a path of new discovery with each turn, reflecting the perception of shopping as a social event.

At least one retailer was not waiting to encourage shoppers to its stores.

She also supported the shrinking of Market Street, which encouraged shoppers on foot to return to the downtown shopping district.

But much more of it is due to consumer-goods firms having encouraged shoppers to buy on price by bombarding them with special offers.

Rather, her report outlines a series of practical recommendations designed to ease the burden on town centre retailers and encourage shoppers back into town centres.

The German government is doing its part to encourage shoppers.