As in every other British city shopping in Glasgow has been transformed out of all recognition in the last fifty years. Familiar high street names, such as Masseys and Wylie & Lochhead, have disappeared and been replaced by national and international brands such as Marks & Spencer, Burtons, House of Fraser, Gap and Borders. Glasgow's old grocery chains have all been swallowed up by the multiples which have built huge supermarkets, mostly out of town and so only easily accessible by car.
Ironically many of their old high street premises have continued as grocery stores, owned and managed by immigrant families mostly from Pakistan. They have become a quintessential part of the fabric of Glasgow society. Other stores have been converted into charity shops, an ever-increasing feature of high streets throughout the country.
Although the House of Fraser emerged as a group during this period with stores throughout the United Kingdom, control has moved away from Glasgow to London. The original policy of retaining the identity of individual stores has long since been abandoned and they now trade under the House of Fraser banner. Increasing prosperity since the 1980s has attracted specialist niche retailers to the city centre, particularly to the Italian Centre in the Merchant's City and to Prince's Square off Buchanan Street. With the automation of banking from the 1970s, many of Glasgow's banking halls became redundant and have found new uses as shops, bars and restaurants. Today Glasgow is one of the best places to shop in Scotland.