Experience Per Square Foot is the Next Big Trend in Mall Retailing in India

When e-commerce began gaining traction in India, many predicted that high street retail would fade away, leaving the field open for online-only formats. However, Indian consumers charted a different path. While adopting e-commerce in large numbers, they did not abandon traditional shopping spaces like Connaught Place or South Extension in Delhi. Over time, Indian malls have not only coexisted with e-commerce, high street retail, quick commerce, and D2C brands—they’ve redefined their own role in the evolving consumer landscape.

Malls have weathered the e-commerce boom, the disruption of COVID-19, and are now repositioning themselves as vibrant extensions of Indian retail. They're offering more than just shopping: experience, comfort, food, and entertainment are central to their appeal.

Notifying a significant trend, Pushpa Bector, Senior Executive Director and Business Head Retail, DLF Retail notes, the DLF Mall of India records 10x more footfall than the entire population of Noida on a weekend. It means that malls are no longer just shopping centres—they’ve become destinations where consumers want to spend quality time, be it over a meal or at an entertainment zone.

Bector says, “We’ve introduced several D2C brands into our malls, and many of them are doing well. The food category is also growing, especially food-led outlets with less emphasis on bars. We’re seeing experiential spaces doing particularly well. And fashion—fashion is making a comeback.”

The trend was echoed by other mall authorities who spoke at the recently concluded Shopping Centre Next event in Goa. Sharing insights from across properties, panellists observed that food and entertainment together account for nearly 30% of total monthly footfall, a significant figure that often surpasses conventional retail categories.

“In the F&B category, it’s the food segment—not the pubs—that is really driving traction these days,” Bector says.

She highlights how Indian brands are doing exceptionally well in the apparel segment. Consumers are happily buying Indian labels, because of the comfortable offerings and ‘fit & size’ and that’s a huge change.

Abhishek Bansal, Executive Director of Pacific Group, speaking about the strategic pivot towards experience-driven planning, says, “Designing and managing malls around ‘experience per square foot’ has been a proven formula for us. It’s not just about retail anymore; it’s about creating emotionally resonant environments built on the right brand mix, insights, and culture.”

Adding to that, Rajneesh Mahajan, CEO of Inorbit Malls, underlines the changing paradigm in mall development. “We now focus on three key pillars—strategic positioning, operational excellence, and design aesthetics,” he explains.

“Today, a mall must offer more than just functionality; it must inspire and connect. With infrastructure and lifestyle converging, customer experience becomes the key differentiator.”

Sameer Verma, General Manager of Lulu Mall Lucknow, echoes the same.

“Yes, today malls aren’t just about driving footfalls—they’re about attracting relevant footfalls,” he says. “The focus is on identifying and engaging the right customers through targeted strategies.”

Verma talks on how Lulu Mall is leveraging technology to do this effectively.
“Our loyalty programme, ‘Lulu Happiness,’ has 2.6 million users. It gives us deep insights into consumer behaviour—what they buy, when, and from whom,” he says.

“This data allows us to run highly focused campaigns and category promotions. By integrating technology and collaborating with brands on shared insights, we’re bridging the digital–physical divide and creating measurable, meaningful engagement that benefits both retailers and consumers.”

As Indian malls step into this new era, the clear takeaway is creating avenues to spend time simultaneously giving a platform to different industries including food, e-commerce, fashion, D2C and entertainment to thrive. 

Besides, malls are becoming a destination–a move that aligns physical retail more closely with consumer expectations in a digitally saturated world.