Social media is a key component of this growth, as millions of consumers turn to platforms including Instagram and TikTok to discover new products and trends. This shift is not only reshaping consumer behaviour; it’s also making a positive impact on the retail property sector, helping to reduce vacancy rates and increase footfall across the UK’s retail destinations. Since 2019, we’re seen brands continue to recognise the importance of having a physical store presence and providing in-person experiences to consumers. These are critical to growing both sales and profile in a very competitive landscape.
Health, beauty and wellness will continue to reimagine vacant retail spaces and the top three subsectors in the wellness economy are exploding faster than the latest TikTok workout craze – honestly, have you tried Hyrox yet?
UK wellness economy sector value
Subsector/£bn
Fitness and Gyms on the Rise
Gyms and fitness studios are no longer confined to traditional formats. Operators are getting creative, transforming everything from empty retail park units or former department stores to office buildings and coworking environments. Non-traditional spaces provide unique opportunities as fitness occupiers are increasing repurposing lower-ground facilities in strong locations. So long as there’s heavy traffic around the entrance, a gym occupier might benefit from the larger floorplates in basement units. These moves are helping to reimagine underutilised real estate and bring energy back to places that need it most.
The UK fitness market is thriving, with over 5,600 clubs and 11.5 million members. It’s worth around £5.7 billion and growing fast—up 13.1% annually since 2022. Value operators like PureGym (400+ sites, 70 more planned in 2025) and The Gym Group (250 sites, 50 more over three years) dominate the landscape, but premium brands are also innovating. Virgin Active, David Lloyd, Nuffield Health, and Anytime Fitness are blending fitness with wellness, offering holistic health experiences that go beyond the treadmill.
As fitness becomes a lifestyle priority, the sector is well-positioned to reshape both retail and workplace environments, bringing people together and giving landlords new ways to activate space.
Beauty stores are breathing new life into high streets and shopping centres across the UK. With over 60 new health and beauty stores planned for 2025 and beyond, it’s clear the sector is booming. Rituals is planning 37 new stores, while Superdrug and its value-brand Savers will open 55 stores. Boots will trial a fragrance-only concept store in the City of London and, following its successful return to the UK in 2023, Sephora is planning to expand its footprint by 2027 to 20 stores.
Korean beauty is also making waves, moving from online buzz to bricks-and-mortar presence. Pureseoul already has 10 stores in the UK and plans to open a further 20 by the end of 2026, while Moida launched its first UK store last December.
Meanwhile, the UK’s non-surgical aesthetics industry, worth £3.2 billion in 2024 and up 8.4% year-on-year, is becoming part of everyday life. Treatments like Botox, fillers, skin boosters and laser therapies are now widely accessible and delivered in quick sessions. This is good news for retail landlords as aesthetic operators are increasingly targeting high-footfall retail units, co-working hubs, and mixed-use schemes, to attract new clients. Their expansion not only diversifies tenant mixes but also drives occupancy, footfall and dwell time across retail destinations.
The UK’s appetite for wellness products, such as vitamins and supplements, is showing no signs of slowing. Consumers are increasingly focused on preventative health and nutrition, and that’s driving steady growth in the health food and supplements sector.
Holland & Barrett continues to lead the way with over 1,300 stores, but it’s not just about scale, it’s about flexibility. The brand is investing in new formats, from standard high street units to compact stores in travel hubs. This adaptability opens the door for pop-ups and smaller-scale retail concepts that can slot into vacant spaces and meet consumers where they are.
With demand rising for functional foods and wellness products, this sector offers a strong opportunity for landlords to diversify their tenant mix and tap into a growing market.
The UK’s shift toward everyday wellness is reshaping the commercial property landscape. Whether it’s a beauty clinic in a former fashion store, a gym in a disused office block, or a supplement pop-up in a travel hub, health and wellness brands are turning underutilized spaces into thriving destinations.
For landlords and developers, embracing this trend means more than just filling vacancies, it’s about creating places people want to visit, spend time in, and return to. With wellness now a daily priority for millions, the sector is set to remain a cornerstone of the UK’s retail economy and a powerful driver of footfall, occupancy, and income.
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