Contents

• 1. Smaller up-and-coming brands are changing the face of the high street
• 2. Continued diversification of QSR F&B
• 3. Best of British fashion disruptors
• 4. The next wave of international brand expansion
• 5. Social media accelerates the impact of ‘hype retail’
• 6. Wellness zones contribute to healthy high streets
• 7. Outdoor exposure as active wear toughens it out

This time last year, we predicted the growth of food & beverage (F&B), particularly healthy grab-and-go and Asian concepts, growth in cosmetics retailers, resilience in affluent market towns and the continued thriving of budget gyms and athleisure wear. We are pleased to say that these did prove to be some of the defining occupational trends for 2025. Looking ahead for 2026, we can expect even more from these sectors.

The key differential in the year ahead is likely to be the trickle-down into second-tier markets, as acquisitive brands already established in major regional cities look to the UK’s ‘best of the rest’.

One key optic going forward is the ever-present evolution of consumer preferences and how we track and keep pace with them. The blurring of touchpoints online and offline — alongside the increased influence of social media, technology and in-person experiences — is driving shopping behaviour in different ways across different locations. How we monitor and utilise spend data will be a core priority in ensuring that tenant mixes remain engaging and relevant.

As the slow market recovery that has defined the post-Covid years for much of the UK’s retail landscape gathers momentum, these are some of our favourite picks for the year ahead:

1. Smaller up-and-coming brands are changing the face of the high street

Despite a difficult economic climate, 2025 delivered exceptional expansion and diversification among UK retail and leisure brands. More than 1,500 multiples grew, adding 8,200 new stores, with 390 brands opening at least five sites. The number of active brands has risen steadily, increasing by almost 50 over the past two years.

What’s most notable, however, has been the shift in the type of brands driving growth. In 2023, around half of multiple‑retailer openings came from brands with 100+ stores, while approximately a third were from those with fewer than 50. By the end of 2025, this pattern had reversed. Brands with fewer than 20 stores now accounted for a quarter of all new openings, up 7% since 2023, highlighting the acceleration of smaller, fast-scaling operators.

While large chains still dominate acquisitions, the rapid rise of smaller brands is creating significant future expansion opportunities. Based on current trajectories, there is potential for around 12,700 additional stores from brands with fewer than 50 sites in the next three to five years.

This marks one of the most dynamic periods of brand growth the sector has seen in years, putting many previously overlooked towns and cities back on the agenda as the market rebounds.

2. Continued diversification of QSR F&B

The quick service restaurant (QSR) market is growing rapidly as time‑poor consumers seek convenience, affordability and variety. F&B accounted for 20% of all retail brand openings last year, with convenience‑focused operators adding 1,275 new stores.

Greggs led with 120 net openings and, together with Costa, Starbucks and McDonald’s, accounted for around 20% of new units. Fast‑growing brands, including Leon, Wingstop, Popeyes, Gails, Pepe’s Piri Piri, Honi Poke and Chaiiwala, accounted for a further 17% of openings across 220 sites.

While the established brands remain dominant, the number of smaller brands taking space increases every year, whether domestic or international in origin. There are currently an unprecedented number of active operators originating from the US, including Chick-fil-A, Carl’s Jr., Which Wich, Shake Shack and Dave’s Hot Chicken. These operators are supported by strong capital investment and are hoping to replicate the growth of Wingstop, which will surpass 100 units this year.

With QSR sales expected to grow 6% per year for the next decade, the rapid growth seen last year shows no signs of abating, and requirements for smaller 1,000–1,500 sq ft franchised formats will aid this acceleration in most geographies.

3. Best of British fashion disruptors

Small British fashion brands are quietly powering a fresh wave of UK retail growth, stepping into space left by fading high‑street names. Many began as online start-ups — such as ARNE, Character, Finisterre, TALA, Represent and Sheep Inc — building loyal followings through quality, authenticity and customer service before expanding into physical stores.

Others, including Percival, Nobody’s Child, ME+EM and Ronning, have opened single boutiques in London and then scaled into other key locations, proving that distinct identity and product excellence resonate in a sector dominated by fast fashion. While London remains the key launchpad, retailers such as Busby & Fox are emerging in specialist locations across the UK.

Collectively, these labels demonstrate the resilience and creativity of British fashion entrepreneurship and the value of investing in the next generation of boutique brands in reshaping the retail landscape. Additionally, a number of fashion brands have benefitted from ‘The Traitor’s effect’, which has seen a surge in gothic and country chic. Brands such as Brora and Nobody’s Child have seen items sell out within hours of them being worn on the show – a clear sign that cultural moments and influencer behaviour can quickly enhance in-store performance, a trend the biggest fashion chains are increasingly quick to replicate.

4. The next wave of international brand expansion

London continues to serve as the primary gateway for international brands making their first move into the UK market. In 2025, the city welcomed 54 new entrants, up 26% on the previous year, highlighting the enduring appeal of both London and the wider UK to ambitious global concepts. While the US, France and Italy remain the most active source markets, 2025 saw a notable rise in entrants from smaller but increasingly dynamic markets. Brands from Sweden, Spain and the Netherlands grew their new‑entrant activity by more than 50% last year (against the ten‑year annual average). We expect many of these to look beyond London and explore opportunities across the broader UK as we move through 2026 and beyond.

Australian brands, including Savills clients R.M. Williams, Rodd & Gunn, Lovisa and Harvey Norman, offer strong examples of how new international entrants can successfully scale nationally. Lovisa and Harvey Norman, in particular, demonstrate that London does not have to be the first point of entry. Lovisa, which launched in Leeds a decade ago, was among the most acquisitive retailers in the shopping centre sector in 2025 and now operates nearly 80 UK stores, despite the post‑Covid slowdown in expansion. The recent uptick in international entrants, combined with increased global capital deployment into consumer‑facing retail, leisure and F&B businesses, signals an acceleration in international brand activity across the UK as we progress through 2026.

5. Social media accelerates the impact of ‘hype retail’

Hype‑driven retail is reshaping how brands generate attention and footfall, with TikTok and social sharing turning ordinary purchases into cultural moments. Queues for matcha at Blank Street, photo opportunities at Joe & The Juice, and even bouncers managing celebrity-endorsed chicken shop queues in Glasgow all highlight how social media can quickly mobilise shoppers.

The phenomenon is not new — Tamagotchi and PlayStation drew pre-launch sleepovers decades ago — but today’s hype cycles move faster, scale instantly and can redefine a retailer’s profile almost overnight. IP collaborations further amplify desirability and in-store sales, exemplified by Games Workshop’s partnership with Amazon for its Warhammer film franchise.

Retailers such as Space NK use scarcity‑led drops to spark demand, while Starbucks' limited-edition bear cup release last month used social channels to intensify consumer behaviour, indicating that hype can be both mainstream and niche.

The model is commercially potent: Blank Street has opened more than 40 UK stores since 2022; Pop Mart has leveraged Labubu doll blind‑box culture to fuel store openings; and supermarket brand Oseyo drove viral demand for Korean ice‑cube cups to market the laugh of its Manchester Arndale store. Ultimately, success belongs to retailers that can harness hype while staying agile enough to pivot when the next trend emerges.

6. Wellness zones contribute to healthy high streets

UK high streets are being reshaped as wellness, health and spa services move into both prime retail spaces and other high street and shopping centre markets across the UK. Services including private health checks, diagnostics, mental health clinics, allergy testing, collagen and laser treatments, dental care, Botox, cryotherapy and wider performance-wellness operators are shifting from clinical environments to visible ground floor units, driven by evolving consumer preferences.

Major players such as NEKO Health and Bupa’s Mindplace are actively acquiring retail-style sites, while landlords curate mall-based “wellness zones” to cluster complementary brands. A boutique wellness segment is emerging too, with brands including Z-Aesthetics, FaceGym and Get A Drip expanding, alongside experiential concepts such as ice-bath and sauna studios.

Rituals has added Mind Oasis to its Oxford Street flagship, signalling the growing relationship between wellness experiences and health and beauty products.

This momentum reflects broader growth. The UK wellness market is forecast to grow by 7.5% per annum over the next decade, with consumers spending 31% more than in 2019. With beauty and personal care contributing £30.4bn to UK GDP in 2024 and a significant focus on the sector from international investors, wellness is driving long-term diversification and repositioning of the high street.

7. Outdoor exposure as active wear toughens it out

The UK outdoor retail sector is also expanding strongly, with revenues forecast to reach £13.4bn in 2026 and average annual growth of 2.7% over the past five years. Once a niche category, outdoor wear has moved firmly into the mainstream, driven by an increase in outdoor pursuits, athleisure trends, growing fashion appeal and premiumisation.

Major upmarket global brands such as 66°North, Arc’teryx and Salomon have opened flagship stores in Central London as the sector embraces direct‑to‑consumer retail. However, it is the diversity of offer across multiple price points that really defines the appeal of this sector to consumers, with value-led brands such as Decathlon, Go Outdoors and Mountain Warehouse to sustainability-focused labels including Finisterre and Patagonia, giving the category broad demographic reach.

A blend of fashion-conscious and technical gear, plus presence across diverse locations both in-town and out-of-town, has made the outdoor retail market highly resilient. With brands such as Trespass planning 50 more stores, Mountain Warehouse upsizing to 15,000 sq ft formats, and Go Outdoors, Tog24 and Cotswold Outdoor continuing to take stores, expansion rates are not climbing down any time soon.

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