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Retail and leisure property research
The sector’s renaissance, in data
Our retail and leisure market research provides a data-led view of consumer behaviour, occupier demand and investment activity across the UK and global retail property market.
We track retail sales performance, occupier activity and investment volumes in real time across the high street, retail warehousing, shopping centres, foodstores and central London retail, publishing a regular retail and leisure market report and retail and leisure outlook alongside analysis of the structural themes reshaping the leisure property market — from omnichannel strategy and right-sizing to experiential leisure.
Our research supports retailers, leisure operators, landlords, investors, developers, funders and local authorities seeking to understand how consumer behaviour, occupier strategy and investment appetite are reshaping the sector.
Retail Renaissance 2026: Still tough at the top
Our six-part insight series explores retail’s reset, examining the forces reshaping the £480bn market, from the evolution of online to renewed investment in physical stores and shifting investor behaviour.
The opportunity is real, but increasingly complex. Success now depends on being more selective, more investment-led and more operational in approach.
Latest research on Retail and leisure property research
Retail & Leisure
UK Retail Sales Dashboard
A monthly overview of UK retail sales performance, including key metrics on core sub-sectors, and ecommerce.
21 August 2026
Retail & Leisure
The Retail Note - Retail sales: the heat was on
This week’s Retail Note focuses on the July retail sales figures from the ONS, which showed an inevitable slowdown, but were by no means bad.
21 August 2026
Retail & Leisure
Retail Renaissance: Business rates - making the inequitable palatable
Business rates is a money-spinner, but levelling the playing field is complex as it can impact both online and high street retailers.
10 August 2026
Retail & Leisure
Retail Renaissance 2026
The first of six papers exploring key themes that are defining the Retail landscape and will play out going forward.
10 August 2026
Retail & Leisure
The Retail Note - Retail sales: the heat was on
This week’s Retail Note focuses on the July retail sales figures from the ONS, which showed an inevitable slowdown, but were by no means bad.
21 August 2026
Retail & Leisure
Retail Renaissance: Business rates - making the inequitable palatable
Business rates is a money-spinner, but levelling the playing field is complex as it can impact both online and high street retailers.
10 August 2026
Retail & Leisure
Retail Renaissance 2026
The first of six papers exploring key themes that are defining the Retail landscape and will play out going forward.
10 August 2026
Market updates
Quarterly updates and data dashboards covering consumer, occupier, and investment markets.
Retail & Leisure
Retail Monitor
The Knight Frank Retail Monitor provides a quarterly update on key data across all retail sub-sectors and current market sentiment.
27 July 2026
Investment
UK Real Estate Navigator
The UK Real Estate Navigator outlines the key occupier and investment trends across the different sectors within commercial real estate.
10 August 2026
Retail & Leisure
Retail Warehousing Dashboard
A concise quarterly synopsis of activity in the UK retail warehousing market.
03 August 2026
Retail & Leisure
Central London Retail Market Dashboard
A concise quarterly update on key data and current market sentiment.
03 August 2026
Retail & Leisure
UK Retail Sales Dashboard
A monthly overview of UK retail sales performance, including key metrics on core sub-sectors, and ecommerce.
21 August 2026
Thought leadership
Insight publications exploring the latest themes and trends shaping the industry landscape.
Retail & Leisure
Retail Renaissance 2026
The first of six papers exploring key themes that are defining the Retail landscape and will play out going forward.
10 August 2026
Retail & Leisure
Retail News Issue 14
Foodstores are back in vogue with investors – we explore why the investment case is so compelling, from a detailed consumer, occupier, channel, asset class and performance perspective.
20 November 2023
Retail & Leisure
Retailer Watchlist
Retailer distress, CVAs, administrations and fall-out. Our Retailer Watchlist is designed to give markets early warning of potential retail occupier distress.
10 September 2024
Retail & Leisure
Retail News Issue 13: A Retail Renaissance
Assessing how the UK retail market has responded to its 10 Structural Failings to become the top performing CRE asset class in 2023. And explore what future structural change is likely to unfold, particularly around ESG, online and AI.
30 October 2023
The Retail Note
Our weekly recap on the latest happenings in the retail sector.
Retail & Leisure
The Retail Note - Retail sales: the heat was on
This week’s Retail Note focuses on the July retail sales figures from the ONS, which showed an inevitable slowdown, but were by no means bad.
21 August 2026
Retail & Leisure
The Retail Note - Retail sales: World Cup winning?
This week’s Retail Note focuses on the June retail sales figures from the ONS, which were off-the-charts good.
24 July 2026
Retail & Leisure
The Retail Note - Retail Investment: the best offence is defence
This week’s Retail Note showcases Knight Frank’s H1 2026 Retail Investment Update, which explores Retail real estate capital market performance and trends in the first half of the year.
17 July 2026
Retail & Leisure
The Retail Note - Retail sales: they’re coming home
This week’s Retail Note focuses on the May retail sales figures from the ONS, which were as strong as expected.
19 June 2026
Retail & Leisure
The Retail Note - Retail sales: a yoyo rather than a no-no
This week’s Retail Note focuses on the April retail sales figures from the ONS, which were not as weak as has been reported.
22 May 2026
Retail & Leisure
The Retail Note - Retail sales: spend baby spend
This week’s Retail Note focuses on the March retail sales figures from the ONS, which defied all expectations.
24 April 2026
A series of six insight papers exploring what other real estate sectors can learn from retail’s fall and unlikely rise again.
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