Analyses of urban hierarchy and scale distribution are crucial in urban research, as they examine the laws of urban development and the functional layout of urban spatial systems. However, previous studies have focused on the macro-spatial distribution of the economy, businesses, and population at the regional level, whereas systematic research on the scale distribution of retail formats in central urban areas is lacking. Therefore, this study investigated the hierarchical scale distribution of retail formats in the top ten cities in China by GDP, using the Public Service Facilities Index Method to define central district boundaries, using scale as an epistemological framework of order and analyzing the spatial distribution patterns of retail formats. The results revealed that the spatial hierarchical scale follows a power law within a certain range; the spatial distribution exhibits stage characteristics, providing a quantitative method for defining retail centres; and the dominant functions, development directions, and morphological characteristics of central districts influence the hierarchical scale distribution of retail formats.

The study of an urban center’s hierarchical structure is an important subject if one wishes to understand the city. Previous studies on urban hierarchical structure focused mostly on qualitative or quantitative research based on factors such as format, transportation, and economy, and lacked quantitative measurement from the perspective of street networks. This study examined the urban central area of Lujiazui, Shanghai, from the perspective of the percolation of the street network in the urban central area. Then, combined with the actual urban space function, the connotation and fractal nature of the hierarchical structure of the central area of the mega-city were obtained. The resulting nested hierarchies represent a reorganization of these highly agglomerated urban centers that contribute to sustainability. The fractal results were verified by the box counting method. Finally, this study fulfills its main purpose, which is to propose a new method for the study of the hierarchical structure of urban central areas.