High street retailers could be a thing of the past by 2050 as virtual reality takes over the way we shop, experts predict. The only time we can expect to be asked "Are you being served?" is when interacting with an artificially intelligent app. The kind of department store epitomised by Grace Brothers in the 1970s sitcom of that name is likely to be consigned to history by the middle of the century. Instead people will make all their purchases from home, trying on clothes in virtual reality changing rooms and getting advice from AI (artificial intelligence) shop assistants that know exactly how to cater for their tastes. Online deliveries dropped into the back garden by flying robot drones will become a part of every day life.