With Britons doing more online shopping than any other nation, high street retailers are finding new ways to lure people through their doors. London's EAT17 is a one-stop shop, offering kitchen towels, gourmet sausages, a quick burger or fancy evening meal, all under one roof.

Supermarket chain Carrefour has modernised a central Paris branch, condensing everything from fine wine to shoe repair into one spot. The sense of community it’s harbouring is keeping the retailer relevant in an era of shoppers who increasingly either shop locally or online.

People love to grumble about supermarket self-service machines. In fact 93% of UK shoppers claim to find them frustrating. But while consumers rant and rave when surveyed, statistics show that more people are using self-service than ever before. So do we really hate serving ourselves?

Push for a pizza, swipe for a cleaner and tap for a taxi. The rise of apps like Uber is facilitating the culture of ‘I want it, and I want it now’. For digital-savvy city-dwellers from London to Beijing, everything you need – from your dinner to a ride home – is just an app away.