Community-driven spaces – the evolution of shopping malls into wellness hubs

As South African shopping centres face growing pressure from the rise of e-commerce and changing consumer expectations, malls are increasingly being challenged to rethink their role beyond traditional retail – Mannee de Wet, Managing Director of Planet Fitness, comments.

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De Wet highlights that consumers are now seeking destinations that combine convenience with lifestyle, wellness, and meaningful experiences, creating an opportunity for malls to evolve into community-driven spaces that encourage engagement and repeat visitation.

“Shopping centres were once designed around necessity. Groceries, clothing, and convenience anchored foot traffic, and the smaller tenants benefited from this flow. But consumer expectations have shifted. A visit to a mall is no longer just about completing a task; it is about engagement. People are looking for places where they can spend time, connect, and engage in activities that add value to their daily lives,” he says.

“Global trends are moving in a clear direction. In markets like Australia, retail environments are evolving into experience-led destinations, where lifestyle, wellness, and social interaction are integrated into the core design of the centre. Anchors are no longer limited to transactional retail. Rather, they are becoming immersive and lifestyle-focused, built around how people live rather than what they buy.”

In the local context, this creates a tangible opportunity to reconfigure malls as ‘wellness hubs’ anchored by a premium training brand that is surrounding by complementary retail and service offerings.

South African health and wellness market

Mannee de Wet, Planet Fitness MD

“Why wellness? Imarc research shows that the South African health and wellness market reached USD27.9 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow to USD 42.5 billion by 2034. Studies show that this growth is driven in large part by Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who are actively shaping demand around training, informed nutritional choices, and ethical consumption. For this cohort, wellness is not a category. It is a lifestyle that informs daily decisions. And, is it strongly represented in training club membership, comprising 34% of Planet Fitness’ member base.”

De Wet says that, “A well-designed wellness hub responds directly to this shift. At its core is a premium training brand that delivers more than traditional gym access. Such offerings include hybrid training formats like HYROX, functional and endurance events, world-class strength, conditioning and recovery zones, Pilates and yoga studios, and thoughtfully designed spaces that cater to different user groups, including women-only environments. The result is a broad, inclusive offering that drives frequent and repeat visitation.”

“The impact of a well-positioned training anchor is measurable. Across the country, Planet Fitness clubs generate an average of over 1 million member visits per month – recurring footfall that introduces a consistency which traditional anchors are increasingly unable to provide.”

Importantly, a training visit connects naturally to other activities. A workout becomes a coffee stop. A recovery session leads to a health purchase. A padel match or Pilates class results in a new pair of trainers or activewear. A training routine creates space for browsing, dining, or social interaction. Over time, this builds a cluster of behaviour that benefits the entire tenant mix, including traditional grocery and clothing stores.

“This is where complementary tenants become critical. Wellness hubs extend beyond training, apparel and socialisation, to include services like physiotherapists, biokineticists, IV bars, and aesthetics clinics. Health-oriented food concepts, supplements and plant-based offerings, and quality sit-down dining add to the experience. These elements work best when curated together, creating a node of like-minded brands that feed off one another and increase dwell time.”

Wellness hubs – controlled village commons

“Design also plays an enabling role. Internationally, malls are functioning as controlled village commons, where people gather for reasons beyond shopping. There is a clear move towards outward-facing, mixed-use environments that integrate retail and dining with open-air social and community spaces.”

“Creating dedicated hubs in malls is also helping to boost bricks-and-mortar revenue, which is steadily losing traction against online spending. According to World Wide Worx, the online market accounted for 8% of all local retail in 2024 (R96 billion) and, having grown by 35% year-on-year, came in at 10% (R130 billion) in 2025.”

He concludes that, “Retail has always followed consumer behaviour. Today, this behaviour is shifting towards training, health, experience, and connection. Malls that align with this shift are not just responding to change, they are redefining their role in the daily lives of the communities they serve.”