According to the latest report from Cushman & Wakefield, the Polish retail market got off to a flying start in 2023, with over 100,000 sqm of new retail space coming on stream in the first quarter of the year and a number of new openings expected to deliver a total of 300,000 sqm. The biggest single challenge facing both retail tenants and landlords is high inflation which has resulted in falling sales for some shopping categories.

The gross sales turnover of a total of 1,800 shops located on the 30 SES Spar European Shopping Center sites in Austria, Slovenia, Italy, Hungary, Croatia and the Czech Republic continued to grow in the past year. With sales up 18.5% and a €3.1 billion turnover compared to 2021, SES enjoyed a record year in terms of development since its inception in 2007. In 2022, SES invested in numerous sustainable measures such as the large-scale installation of photovoltaic systems and the ongoing interim expansion of e-charging stations, currently amounting to 175 charging points coupled with extensive LED retrofitting.

Situated in the southwestern city of Sandanski, Kaufland’s first Bulgarian retail park spans over 5,000 sqm. The German retail chain invested over BGN 2 million  ( €1 million) in the outdoor retail area, the company said in a press release.

Wood & Company is starting to improve its Aupark shopping centre in Bratislava. It plans to expand it with three more retail units and open the space to other global brands, startitup.sk reports.

In March 2023, the Delta Planet Mall retail centre, located in Varna, Bulgaria, inaugurated an innovative photovoltaic solar installation. The investment of nearly €500,000 (BGN 1 million) covers the construction of 1,029 solar panels with a total capacity of 556 kW.

With a €10 million investment, M Core has made another commitment to its portfolio in Poland through the announcement of the Świdnik M Park development. At 7,700 ssqm, the retail park will be the largest development for M Core in Poland and the first created under the M Park brand, built by LCP Properties — one of the five property entities that sits under the M Core umbrella.

Trei Real Estate GmbH just opened another two retail parks of its Vendo Park brand in Poland. The properties are located in Zambrów (Podlaskie Voivodeship) and in Kraków (Lesser Poland Voivodeship). The investment volume adds up to c. €16.4 million. The two retail parks have a combined lettable area of around 11,000 square meters.

Square 7 Properties and Belgian investment fund Mitiska REIM will open this week Giurgiu Shopping Park, which has a leasable area of 7,000 sqm. The general contractor of the project was Austrian construction firm Strabag. 

With scheduled retail deliveries of around 260,000 sqm across Romania, this year may turn out to have the heaviest pipeline calendar since 2011, which would add to the existing stock of more than 4.1 million sqm, according to real estate consultancy Colliers. 

Amadeus Real Estate in Prague is reconstructing a cultural monument from the 1970s - the OD Máj department store. According to the developer's estimate, the reconstruction, which is being carried out by the construction company Metrostav, will cost CZK 4 billion, i.e. €166.7 million. OD Máj should be reopened within a year and should offer a restaurant with a view in addition to shops and a gallery, reports ČTK.