Czech online retailer alza.cz plans to bring its new self-service concept store to Hungary, local daily Magyar Nemzet reports. Alza opened its first similar store at Prague’s Flora metro station this January. The store, which is able to serve 1,000 costumes daily, operates with no staff and offers 24-hour accessibility. The company invested nearly €200 million in the opening of the store.

Hystead Limited, a UK company co-owned by Hyprop Investments Limited (Hyprop) and PDI Investment Holdings Limited (PDI), has acquired a 90% interest in two Croatian shopping centres. The purchase consideration net of €154.4 million asset-based finance is €129.1 million, of which Hyprop’s effective share is approximately €77.5 million. The two malls, namely City Center one Zagreb West and City Center one Zagreb East, are located in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. The transaction is conditional upon approval of the Croatian competition authority and is expected to close at the end of March 2018.

With GDP growth outperforming by a significant extent neighbouring CEE countries, 2017 was very good for the real estate market in Romania, especially for office, investment and land segments. According to Colliers International’s new report, the market’s dynamism will be extended through 2018, supported by new demand and trends in the capital and especially in the major regional cities in the country.

In 2017, approximately 360,000 sqm of new retail space was delivered to the Polish market, which is 15% less than in 2016. Most new shopping centres were completed in the eight largest agglomerations (over 66% of completions). Thus, at the end of 2017, the total stock of modern shopping centre space in Poland reached approximately 11.5 million sqm, according to Colliers International.

Owner Unibail-Rodamco plans to extend the Aupark shopping centre in Bratislava by 7,000 sqm. According to etrendk.sk, the developer has already filed documentation for a construction permit.

Atrium European Real Estate Limited announced the sale of 18 assets in Hungary and one in the Czech Republic for a combined price of €70 million, representing an 8% premium to the book value as at 30 September 2017. The disposals form part of the company’s ongoing strategy to improve its portfolio through the selective rotation of capital towards high quality, well-established shopping centres which dominate their catchment areas.

Appeninn Nyrt. announced the purchase of a historic building in the centre of Budapest for €7 million through the acquisition of holding company Plaza House. Dávid House, located on Andrássy Road and formerly known as Andrássy Palace, has 2400 sqm GLA. It was transformed into a Class A office building in 2001.

The European retail market has changed drastically and market players looking to stay in the race need to invest in innovation. Although there is no definite recipe for success, the general consensus is that offline stores need to transform into places that provide an experience. Panellists at the RICS European Retail Conference 2018 in Milan provided an insight into the key industry developments

Recent changes in Sunday trading laws and commercial property tax regulations have not discouraged investors, both the existing well-established players as well as new entrants to the market. Similarly to the previous year, the portfolio transactions in 2018 are expected to account for a significant share in the total investment volume. Jędrzej Suchowolec, Senior Advisor at Cresa Poland, commented on current investors’ interest in retail properties.

Wing Zrt. has acquired a retail portfolio which includes the EuroCenter Óbuda shopping centre as well as two properties in the regional city of Szombathely. The company has over ten years of experience developing and managing retail properties and plans to carry out value-enhancing investments across the new portfolio with a particular focus on the Buda shopping centre. Wing intends to invest in improving the shopping centre’s existing strengths for both shoppers and tenants.