How "accessible design" jumped from the fifth to the top consumer priority—and why it now requires balancing inclusivity with exclusive perks
Insight
09 October 2025
Why access just leapfrogged from #5 to #1 in retail design
Today's consumers want something new from their in-store experiences, and retailers that deliver can rebuild loyalty. With 81% of Gen Z and millennials switching brands in the past year alone, what matters most to winning them back? Accessibility—but not the way you might think.
According to JLL Design's new global study, "Shifting Priorities in Retail Design," accessible experiences have rocketed from the fifth most important consideration to #1 across all consumer segments, generations, and regions. The findings come from a global survey of 2,002 adults across 15 countries—from the U.S. to Panama, France to China and Australia—examining how the six dimensions of brand experience have evolved since JLL first identified them in 2018.
