More than half of all jobs put under threat when retailers fell into insolvency were saved, a report from trade body R3 has found.

Analysing data from the past 18 months, R3 found 53% of under threat jobs and 48% of stores were saved.

Major retailers including Clinton Cards, La Senza, Jane Norman, Game and Aquascutum have continued trading despite falling into insolvency, helped in part by the introduction of the Enterprise Act in 2002.

This, according to R3 president Lee Manning, provides greater flexibility for the administration process, which has enabled more jobs and businesses to be saved.

However, old-fashioned business methods such as maintaining loss-making physical stores is costing companies dearly, leading Manning to call for them to adapt or prepare to go under.

“Much of the retail sector needs to change its methods of meeting customer expectations or face extinction. Store portfolios are simply too large at present, so shedding some unprofitable stores is part of this evolution," he said.

"In fact, according to figures from Deloitte, we could be seeing significant downsizing of between 30%-40% over the next three to five years."

Last week saw a surprise lift in retail trading figures from the Office for National Statistics, with sales volumes rising by 0.3% over the past month.

It is believed that the spike was caused by petrol price wars between supermarket chains, as sales volumes excluding fuel were flat despite the ongoing discounting on the high street.

Loading Slideshow...

  • The sun rises over the Vincent Thomas Bridge, the location where director Tony Scott jumped to his death yesterday afternoon on 20 August 2012 in San Pedro, California. The famed British film director and brother of Sir Ridley Scott was known for such films as 'Top Gun,' 'Enemy of the State,' and 'The Taking of Pelham 123.' (Photo by Jonathan Gibby/Getty Images)

  • Japanese festival-goers play in the mud during the village mud festival at Yumesaki in Himeji, Japan. The festival is held to encourage youths of the village to participate in the community. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images)

  • A wildfire blazes in Torneros de Jamuz near Leon. Numerous wildfires have broken out across Spain in the sweltering heat in recent weeks, an extra headache for authorities struggling to get the country out of its financial crisis and recession. (Photo credit: EDRO ARMESTRE/AFP/Getty Images)

  • The sun rises over the Canary Wharf business district in London, England. Weather Forecasters were criticized today after failing to predict heavy rain which affected many parts of the UK yesterday, much of which were told to expect sunny weather. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

  • A Slackliner walks on a highline at Wendelstein Mountain near Bayrisch Zell in the Bavarian Alps of southern Germany. The sportsman is secured by a safety rope but has to cross 70 meters (229 ft) at an altitude of 1,800 meters (5,905 ft). (AP Photo/dapd/ Uwe Lein)

  • Joel Hicks holds on to his cardboard car as he jumps from Worthing Pier during the annual Birdman Competition in Worthing, West Sussex. The Birdman is a flight competition for human powered flying machines. (Photo credit: MAX NASH/AFP/Getty Images)

  • People cool down in a swimming pool in Daying county, in southwestern China's Sichuan province. (AP Photo)

  • General View of Paris from Montparnasse Tower in Paris, France. Photo by Mario Fourmy/ABACAPRESS.COM/PA

  • The Duke of Edinburgh thanks hospital staff as he leaves Aberdeen Royal Infirmary after spending five nights being treated for a recurrence of a bladder infection. Photo credit: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

  • Adrian Martin (26), of Spain and Niklas Ajo, of Finland, crash on the opening lap of the Moto3 motorcycle race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

  • In this aerial view, people gather on landing stages and in the "swimming" pool on river Spree in Berlin, In some parts of Germany, temperatures rose over 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit). (AP Photo/dapd/Oliver Lang)

  • Jackie Armstrong, a trapeze artist with Zippos Circus, balances on a cloud swing from a balcony of the Grand Hotel on Brighton sea front in Brighton, England. Zippos' Founder and Director, Martin Burton, began his clowning career in front of the Brighton Grand Hotel in 1975. His circus will perform their family show 'GOLD' in Brighton until August 28, 2012. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)

  • Indian Muslims take part in Eid al-Fitr prayers at Jama Masjid in New Delhi, India. Muslims around the world are celebrating Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan, the Muslim calendar's ninth and holiest month during which followers are required to abstain from food and drink from dawn to dusk. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)

  • Pilgrims gather around a statue of the Virgin del Rocio during the El Rocio Romeria pilgrimage, a traditional pilgrimage, in Huelva. Once every seven years the Virgen del Rocio travels at night from El Rocio to Almonte. (Photo credit: CRISTINA QUICLER/AFP/Getty Images)

  • An Afghan refugee boy poses with a plastic rifle as he and other children celebrate the first day of the Eid al-Fitr festival, which marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, in a slum on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan. Muslims around the world are celebrating Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan, the Muslim calendar's ninth and holiest month during which followers are required to abstain from food and drink from dawn to dusk. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

  • Fishermen dry the fishes after typhoon Kai-Tak left Hainan Province in Sanya, Hainan Province of China. The temperature reached 34 degrees Celsius in Sanya on Sunday. (Photo by Chen Wenwu/ChinaFotoPress.PA)