Consumer culture has been drastically changing. The volume of online sales has doubled, around the world, many malls and shopping centers located in cities, are closing and clearing out of public spaces. The new reality is hungry for new consumer spaces, adaptable to the changing world, where shopping has moved online. And yet, there is still a desire to maintain a meaningful shopping experience.
Today, the majority of conventional shopping spaces, such as clothing stores, are being replaced by businesses offering services or experiences, such as restaurants, bars, or self care. This may potentially impact the architecture of malls and shopping centers, which must now adapt to a space with an experience much more than simply shopping, but rather a shopping experience as a social ritual that justifies leaving home.
Some philosophers view shopping as the last form of social interaction in public space, which gained momentum in the 1960s, parallel to the rise of consumer culture. Since the 60s shopping has become an experience that brings different people together and creates a healthier and more united community.