To play, to learn? Exploring social sustainability as an experiential dimension in retail design

This paper aims to investigate past and current social sustainability considerations and developments in scientific research and practice in the context of retail space design. An explorative content analysis is used to identify major research areas and design disciplines in the sustainability literature relevant to social participation, and sustainability considerations in retail practice. On this basis, a case study approach is used to derive strategies for integrating approaches for social sustainability into retail design. Sustainability-related issues have been discussed for many years, but the “social” aspect was integrated late into debates on sustainable development. In retail design research, there seems to be a lack of theoretically oriented social sustainable design approaches for instore touch points and experiences. However, various indications can already be traced from retail design practices. In summary, socially sustainable approaches in retail design can be addressed as 1) sustainability storytelling, 2) social responsibility areas, 3) inclusive design, 4) collecting communities, 5) educative engagement, 6) sustainable mobility. Sustainable design has received considerable attention in the retail trade literature. However, no summative scholarly studies have been identified that demonstrate how a retailer’s approach to store design has put into practice a commitment to the environment through social sustainability in (interior) design principles. This study intends to encourage educators and practitioners to incorporate principles from the discipline into the retail approaches.