According to data from the Polish Council of Shopping Centers, footfall in shopping malls range from 62 to 73% when compared to last year’s numbers. The pandemic has changed the habits of Poles who are planning their shopping in a more thoughtful, cautious and safe way. In the new reality, small-format shops located close to home are attracting more visitors. By the end of May and after negotiations between owners and tenants had been completed, almost all shops in retail parks were operating. Some of these shops are now recording a turnover of 160% of pre-lockdown levels.

20 years after opening its first shopping mall in Iași, Iulius is launching a new retail concept. Family Market is a concept that addresses the expectations and needs of people living in expanding residential areas. The first project of this type is proposed for Miroslava commune in Iași County and entails an investment upwards of €6 million.

Supernova Group has opened its fifteenth shopping centre in Croatia in the town of Požega, following an investment of €16 million. The 11,000 sqm retail park includes 16 stores and a restaurant.

Aviv Park Zrenjanin, a 25,000 sqm open-air shopping centre in the Vojvodina region of Serbia, has officially started operating under the management of BIG Shopping Centers. The new operator acquired the building earlier this year.

After the Polish government announced a major reopening of the retail economy last month, outlets are seeing more than 80% of footfall on average, with convenience centres attracting between 90% to 100% clients as compared to the previous year. Such positive results are due to the fact that these types of centres are shopping destinations in their own right but only offer a limited number of options for spending free time. However, this paradoxically is now working in favour of outlet centres and convenience centres.

Trei Real Estate, a developer and asset holder for residential and retail real estate with activities across Europe, just opened the 17th retail park of its Vendo Park brand in Poland. The retail park is located in the city of Płock in the Masovian voivodeship. Płock has a population of around 120,000 residents and lies roughly 100 kilometres north-west of Warsaw. The total investment costs equal €6.7 million.

Pasaż Chełmiński, modern retail park, in the main shopping area in Chełmno, has been sold by TUF Real Estate to LCP Properties. Avison Young’s investment team represented the buyer in the transaction.

Focus Estate Fund has received refinancing from BNP Paribas Bank Polska for its Polish portfolio of retail assets, shopping centres Galeria Sandomierz (Sandomierz) and Galeria Awangarda (Bartoszyce) with a total area of more than 10,000 square meters.

CPI Hungary has rolled out a new brand for its Hungarian retail park. Buy-Way Soroksár and Buy-Way Dunakeszi will now operate under the City Market brand.

Britain’s Poseidon Group and Belgium’s Mitiska REIM has sold Capitol Park Rakovica, the largest retail park in Belgrade, to Israel’s BIG CEE Group. The transaction closed in December 2019. CMS Belgrade advised the sellers.