Beyond retail: New ways of classifying UK shopping and consumption spaces
Les Dolega; Jonathan Reynolds; Alex Singleton; Michalis Pavlis (2021). Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science, 48(1), 132-150. DOI: 10.1177/2399808319840666
Abstract
Early attempts to classify shopping activity often took a relatively simple approach, largely driven by the lack of reliable data beyond fascia name and retail outlet counts by centre. There seems to be a consensus amongst contemporary scholars, commercial research consultancies and retailers that more comprehensive classifications would generate better-informed debate on changes in the urban economic landscape, as well as providing the basis for a more effective comparison of retail centres across time and space, particularly given the availability of new data sources and techniques and in the context of the transformational changes presently affecting the retail sector. This paper seeks to demonstrate the interrelationship between supply and demand for retailing services by integrating newly available data sources within a rigorously specified classification methodology. This in turn provides new insight into the multidimensional and dynamic taxonomy of consumption spaces within Great Britain. First, such a contribution is significant in that it moves debate within the literature past simple linear scaling of retail centre function to a more nuanced understanding of multiple functional forms; and second, in that it provides a nationally comparative and dynamic framework through which the evolution of retail structures can be evaluated. Using non-hierarchical clustering techniques, the results are presented in the form of a two-tier classification with 5 distinctive ‘coarse’ clusters and 15 more detailed and nested sub-clusters. The paper concludes that more nuanced and dynamic classifications of this kind can help deliver more effective insights into changing role of retailing and consumer services in urban areas across space and through time and will have implications for a variety of stakeholders.
Extended Summary
This research develops a comprehensive new classification system for understanding how UK shopping centres and consumption spaces function in the modern retail landscape. The study analysed data from over 3,000 retail centres across Great Britain using advanced clustering techniques to move beyond traditional hierarchical models that simply ranked centres from small to large. Instead, the research examined four key dimensions: composition (types of shops and services), diversity (variety of offerings and store ownership), size and function (roles centres play and catchment demographics), and economic health (performance indicators like vacancy rates). The methodology employed non-hierarchical clustering analysis using data from the Consumer Data Research Centre, including detailed information about retail occupancy, socio-economic catchment characteristics, and crime statistics. This approach recognised that modern shopping behaviour and retail provision no longer follows simple hierarchical patterns, particularly given the transformational impact of online shopping, changing consumer preferences, and the growing importance of leisure and service activities in town centres. The analysis revealed five main types of consumption spaces: local retail and service centres (predominantly independent operators focusing on services), retail and leisure parks (out-of-town locations with big box retailers), leading comparison and leisure destinations (major regional centres with diverse offerings), primary food and secondary comparison destinations (district centres serving medium catchments), and traditional high streets and market towns (diverse centres often in rural areas). Each category was further subdivided into 15 more detailed groups, creating a nuanced picture of how different types of centres serve distinct functions and markets. The research found evidence of increasing polarisation between ‘winning’ and ‘losing’ retail locations, with out-of-town retail parks and affluent destinations performing strongly whilst value-oriented and secondary locations showed higher vacancy rates. The study challenges traditional central place theory, demonstrating that modern retail networks are more fragmented and polycentric, with multiple centres serving similar functions within urban areas rather than following neat hierarchical patterns. This classification system provides valuable insights for retailers making location decisions, property developers assessing investment opportunities, and policymakers developing strategies for town centre regeneration. The framework is particularly relevant given ongoing challenges facing high streets, including competition from online retail, changing consumer behaviour, and the need to diversify beyond traditional retail functions towards leisure, services, and mixed-use developments.
Key Findings
- Traditional retail hierarchies no longer apply as modern consumption spaces operate in fragmented, polycentric networks rather than neat hierarchical structures.
- Five main consumption space types emerged: local service centres, retail parks, leading destinations, food-focused centres, and traditional high streets.
- Significant polarisation exists between high-performing out-of-town and affluent locations versus struggling value-oriented and secondary retail areas.
- Non-retail functions including leisure and services increasingly substitute for traditional retail roles, particularly in smaller urban centres.
- The classification framework provides evidence-based insights for commercial investment decisions and retail planning policy development across Britain.
Citation
@article{dolega2021beyond,
author = {Les Dolega; Jonathan Reynolds; Alex Singleton; Michalis Pavlis},
title = {Beyond retail: New ways of classifying UK shopping and consumption spaces},
journal = {Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science},
year = {2021},
volume = {48(1)},
pages = {132-150},
doi = {10.1177/2399808319840666}
}