Shopping centres as third places: Sociodemographic differences in use of shopping centres and non-shopping motivations for visits

Urban meeting places contribute to the city's vitality and social sustainability, and cities are encouraged to provide spaces for people to socialise. Furthermore, social interaction and support are important for people's health and wellbeing, and urban commons are part of the social infrastructure that can improve public health. Even though shopping centres are contested as public space, they function as social arenas. Indications that shopping centres are used and appreciated differently depending on sociodemographic characteristics enforced this first Norwegian cross-sectional study on sociodemographic differences in use of shopping centres. The findings revealed that shopping centres are an important part of the social infrastructure and have qualities as third places, especially among women, elderly, people with low levels of education and immigrants. In the general population, visits to shopping centres were motivated by both physical attributes and social dimensions, however, different sociodemographic groups emphasised different motivations. This knowledge is important considering the value that social arenas have for health and wellbeing, as it helps us understand the qualities valued by different sociodemographic groups. The findings are particularly useful when the aim is to provide a variety of meeting places in cities and neighbourhoods.