Jan 16, 2026
3 min read
Today, the phrase “retail apocalypse” might sound like science fiction to us, but there was a time (not so long ago) when it seemed like impending doom…
Today, the term "retail apocalypse" may sound like science fiction, but there was a time (not so long ago) when traditional retail seemed like an imminent threat.His logic was very simple: if people can buy what they want with a 'click', why would they go to a regular store with a fee?Time has shown that neither e-commerce nor COVID-19 have taken away our joy from going to the mall, but that doesn't mean they don't intend to change themselves.
In this work, two clear plans will be seen: gradually becoming a "park" and spaces that make luxury and unique.
New times, new models.Today it seems that the vision of the "retail apocalypse" is canceled (in fact the event is more often associated with the USA than with Spain, where the market is not full), but this does not mean that the shopping centers of 2026 can continue to live with the model that was popular 30, 20 or 10 years ago. Then, if we can buy something on AliExpress or Amazon, why go to the nearest store?
If we can watch a movie on Prime or Netflix, why get in the car, sit in traffic, and then fight in the parking lot to watch a movie?
Who goes to the shops? The question of millions of dollars. This department has carried out detailed surveys that describe the nature of the users who come to its sites: how much time they spend there, where they come from, how much foreigners weigh, how much their "area of influence" extends... Among the amount of data, one that stands out: besides food, clothes, appliances or any other things, customers spend more time in the places they give us information.
Regardless of shoppers' loyalty to their mall or the proximity factor, users appear to be particularly willing to spend time in so-called "experience centers," those with other offerings marketed as "living experience" locations.
With a watch in his hand.The above may seem like a theory, but it is perfectly measured.A study published by CBRE in 2024 shows that even if we spend an average of 56 minutes in a shopping mall, this figure increases to 71 or 100 when we talk about the "experience" part. We invest twice as much in shopping-based and food-oriented "markets".
The study also found that “Family&Fun” centers, which are primarily aimed at families, have a higher customer retention rate than other facilities.They are no longer just warehouses where we shop or eat, they are living spaces where we create memories.
what does that meanThese people no longer go to shopping malls just to buy some shoes, watch TV in their room or fill the fridge.We can do this through other channels, even without leaving the house, with our mobile phone.What we are looking for is a differentiating factor, an experience or an advantage that pays to travel to a place."Enjoy", the value that made them popular in the 20th century.
"More and more customers are looking for experiences and entertainment in shopping centers. Many integrate experiences into retail to attract more users," a manager at La Vaguada shopping center explained in 2021.He's not the only one who thinks so.In 2024, Diego Ramos published an article on LinkedIn that reached a similar conclusion: possessions are no longer enough for us, now we want experiences, "to socialize, to have fun, to create memories."
To change the anchor.According to him, amusement parks have become the "new anchor" of shopping centers.If before these places boasted the presence of large chains (Fnac, Mediamarkt, Ikea) as their star food, today they advertise other attractions: swimming pools or diving, ziplines, climbing walls, skate parks, ice rinks, wind tunnels, escape rooms...
Caledo and the Economista say, "Guests expect a real-life experience, it's not enough for them to just buy, that's why they have digital marketing."This is the same philosophy that leads at one time to stores that include cinemas and bowling alleys that are smaller than hypermarkets ... multiplying by only a thousand.
Theme boards and accessories.The result is the appearance of urban theme parks that have many examples, two complexes in progress and others planned: X Madrid, Oaziz (Madrid), Breogan Park (A Coruña), Infiniti Valencia or Nasas Madrid, to name a few.And other business sites choose another way to offer to the user: exclusive, luxury.
This is the case, for example, of LaFinca Grand Café, advertised as a place with "premium services" and "haute cuisine", or McArthurGlen Designer Outelt Málaga, which opened its doors a few years ago with premium products.
The commitment to differentiation isn't new (it's nothing you haven't seen in places like Las Roazas Village, La Roca Village, L'illa Diagonal or Galerías Canalejas), but it's also helping some malls find different locations.Not only that.It also makes it easier for them to collect certain customer data - tourists who come to Spain for "shopping tourism", a profile that distinguishes Americans and Chinese.
The sword of Damocles.It may seem like a trivial matter, but finding the right strategy is important in a changing and highly competitive industry.The shopping center may not have survived the "retail apocalypse" and continues to attract thousands of users (its businessmen estimate that in the first years of 2025 their sales increased by 6% and the number of customers by 3.4%), but they have no guarantee of winning.You are welcome.
That even the most ambitious investments can slip away, reminded Oasiz, the largest shopping center in all of Madrid, which is forced to go bankrupt.After all, they raise billions of euros, but they also require large investments, the bigger they are, the more they need to invest in a differentiated leisure offer (wave pools, ski slopes, huge zip-lines, escape rooms...) or attract exclusive brands.
Biller |Merlin Properties, LaFinca Gran Café-ri Jorge Franganillori (Flickr)
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