Automation and digitisation penetrating all spheres of life also have a material impact on the economy. Experts of Cushman & Wakefield have identified five key factors that will shape the retail and warehouse market growth going forward.

Panattoni Europe has announced investments worth €1.2 billion in city logistics projects – facilities built within city limits dedicated to the so-called “last mile”. Already today in Poland, four such parks are under development, totalling €65 million in value, and the most recent development – City Logistics Warsaw has already secured its first tenant. It is Frisco.pl – the online supermarket. In the space of 3 years, the developer will systematically pursue successive markets, including Germany, the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic.

Colliers International has carried out research into retail units in the Warsaw’s office buildings. The study covered approximately 300 buildings and a survey was carried out on a sample of 200 employees. Colliers experts asked respondents about their expectations about the quality of the retail and service units in their workplace and what they have available at present.

The Polish office market closed Q1 2018 with sound demand, a drop in vacancy rates and 1.8 million sqm of office space under construction. JLL summarised the situation on the Polish office market in Q1 2018.

Occupier activity set an all-time high on the Polish industrial market in the first three months of 2018, which pushed the country’s vacancy rate down to its lowest on record. Demand came mostly from e-commerce (24%), logistics operators (23%) and retailers (19%). Cushman & Wakefield presented a summary of the first quarter of 2018 on the Polish warehouse and industrial market.

Globalworth Poland Real Estate has agreed on terms and is conditionally proceeding with the acquisition of Quattro Business Park in Krakow, Poland.

Cushman & Wakefield has been appointed an exclusive agent for the commercialisation of Fabryczna Office Park under a cooperation agreement signed with the INTER-BUD Group.

Over the last 20 years, the Polish cinema market has maintained strong growth momentum with an average 8.7% y/y increase in ticket sales in 2017 and cinema attendance hitting 56.6 million. Today, there are more than 1,300 screens in nearly 500 cinemas across the country. Multiplexes with two or more screens make up only approximately 25% of all cinemas in Poland but account for 75% of all screens. Most of them (80%) are located in shopping centres. Despite its rapid expansion, this market still has a big growth potential considering saturation levels in Poland and Western Europe.

Madison International Real Estate Liquidity Fund VI LP has taken a 50% stake in the Warsaw Spire office tower, becoming an equal owner alongside the Ghelamco GP12 fund. The value of the tower is approx. €350 million. Warsaw Spire is the tallest office building in Central Europe and the acquisition is one of the country’s largest office real estate transactions in recent times.

During the first quarter of 2018, the Polish retail market witnessed investment transactions totalling over €1.7 billion. This is the largest volume ever recorded in Q1 on the market. JLL summarised Q1 2018 on the retail market in Poland.