Where the units are and who operates them
One in five franchise network establishments is in a shopping center
Share of the active establishments of the 503 measured networks with an address identified as being in a shopping center
See the full table (9 rows)
| Segment | Measured networks | Active establishments | In shopping centers | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gyms and sports | 21 | 2,457 | 174 | 7.1% |
| Food | 124 | 12,670 | 4,321 | 34.1% |
| Food, retail and distribution | 25 | 6,001 | 891 | 14.8% |
| Education | 31 | 3,297 | 45 | 1.4% |
| Fashion and accessories | 83 | 9,657 | 4,205 | 43.5% |
| Health, beauty and wellness | 86 | 12,364 | 1,946 | 15.7% |
| Services and other businesses | 126 | 11,023 | 687 | 6.2% |
| Tourism and hospitality | 7 | 472 | 69 | 14.6% |
| All measured networks | 503 | 57,941 | 12,338 | 21.3% |
The address that each establishment declares in the CNPJ (Brazilian company registry) makes it possible to identify a large share of the units located in shopping centers, by the name of the development, by the acronym LUC (locação unitária comercial, the leasable unit designation used in shopping centers) or by the address shared with units of other networks. The indicator applies this criterion to the active establishments of the 503 networks whose profile in the observatory has the Receita Federal (the federal tax authority) section.
There are 12,338 establishments in shopping centers, 21.3% of the total. Presence varies widely across segments. In fashion and accessories the share reaches 43.5% and in food 34.1%, while in services and other businesses it stands at 6.2% and in education at 1.4%. Across networks, the distribution is also uneven, with a median of 5.1% and 105 networks with half or more of their establishments in shopping centers.
The result is a floor. The name of the shopping center appears in the address itself in only 4.9% of establishments, and the rest are identified by the shared address, so that units in developments with few measured networks tend to be left out.
How we calculate
In the open CNPJ data of Receita Federal, reference month October 2026, we read the address of the establishments that the observatory's census attributes to each network. An establishment is considered to be in a shopping center when the address mentions shopping, mall, outlet or LUC, when another establishment at the same postal code (CEP) and number mentions one of these terms, or when three or more different networks have a unit at the same postal code and number and the address complement describes a store, kiosk, box or mall level, and not an office suite or floor. The active establishments of the 503 networks with at least 30 establishments in the subset are included, and the share of each segment adds up the establishments of the networks in that segment.
The first edition of the indicator, dated October 12, 2026, measured 442 networks. The edition dated October 18, 2026, with the networks added to the universe on that date, measured 497 networks; the edition dated October 30, 2026, already on the reference month of October 2026, measured 509 networks; and the edition dated November 8, 2026, with the expansion of the universe in this edition, measures 503 networks on the reference month of October 2026. The files of previous editions remain available under Open data.
What this figure does not show
- Identification depends on the declared address, and a shopping center not mentioned in the address, with fewer than three measured networks at the same number, is left out, which makes the result a floor.
- Commercial galleries and street-level commercial centers may be identified by the shared address criterion, and the indicator does not separate them from shopping centers.
- Kiosks in supermarkets, airports and stations are only included when the address allows identification by the same criteria.
- The address is the one in the registry, which may be the company's tax address rather than the point of sale.
- The share of each segment reflects the measured networks, and large networks weigh more in the aggregate result than in the median across networks.
Frequently asked questions
How many franchises are in shopping centers?
In the 503 measured networks, 12,338 active establishments, 21.3% of the total, have an address identified as being in a shopping center. The criterion depends on the address declared in the registry and yields a floor.
Which franchise segment uses shopping centers the most?
Fashion and accessories, with 43.5% of establishments in shopping centers, followed by food, with 34.1%. In education, the share is 1.4%.
How does the observatory identify a unit in a shopping center?
By the address in the CNPJ (Brazilian company registry), when it mentions shopping, mall, outlet or LUC (the leasable unit designation used in shopping centers), when another establishment at the same postal code (CEP) and number mentions these terms, or when three or more networks have a unit at the same postal code and number with a store complement.
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Where the units are and who operates themOther indicators in the same group
Maintained by Marktech, which serves franchise networks and franchises. The brands cited belong to their owners and are mentioned here only to identify the network the data refers to.