Retail recruiters have been urged to offer creative solutions to clients as consumers get creative around their shopping habits.

Retail news website instore.co.uk reports that the recession has forced 87% of consumers to change their shopping habits, according to a study by research consultancy Shoppercentric.

Those consumers hardest hit by the recession are shopping in stores that they wouldn’t normally use to seek out those shops with the best deals, rather than pick the best value option available in their normal stores, the survey says.

Kate McCarthy, managing director at McCarthy Recruitment, told Recruiter: “Value retailers are peforming very well. We are looking at working with clients that are expanding and want to bring in fantastic candidates to reflect their increase in sales.

“We are particulalrly imaginative with clients, of providing an interim resource. Consultants help them in times when they don’t necessarily have the budget they had previously and work with clients in partnership.”

John Wight, managing director at RPS, adds: “Any recruitment business would be lying if they said it is not hard work. We have been creative in putting a proposition to clients.

“I believe in these unique economic times its vital to offer clients a unique solution to their recruitment needs that will reduce their costs. It amazes me that there are still companies out there who believe it necessary to pay exorbitantly high recruitment fees for a perceived better quality service.

“The recruitment industry has to grasp this opportunity to demonstrate to our clients that we are prepared to share the pain and provide an honest and cost effective solution to their recruitment that will allow us to be seen as an asset to managing their businesses through these troubled times.”