Traditional shopping centres and retail parks continue to attract visitors and remain popular destinations for shopping, socialising and entertainment. They are valued for their modern facilities, strong offerings and appealing promotions. But do customers prefer retail parks for grocery shopping? Where do they tend to purchase clothing or cosmetics? What is the demographic profile of shoppers? To answer these and many other questions, global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield has conducted a survey, the findings of which are presented in its latest report. Cushman & Wakefield notes that despite evolving shopping trends, both retail formats continue to hold strong appeal. 

Aleksandra Mazzini, COO of Sierra Balmain Asset Management, talked to Property Forum about the current popularity of retail parks, the ongoing transformation of the retail sector and the point, where ESG and AI meet together.

The Office for the Protection of Economic Competition (ÚOHS) has authorized the Czech real estate fund Trigea from the Partners group to buy the owner of the Prague shopping centre Arkády Pankrác, e15.cz reports.

Developer UDI Group will launch a residential development in Prague directly opposite the Lužiny metro station. With an investment of more than CZK 1.3 billion (€52.6 million), two apartment buildings will be built here to complement the shopping centre, in line with the original plan from the 1980s. 

Prague's Arkády Pankrác shopping centre is changing hands. The Czech real estate fund Trigea is buying it from the Israeli company G City for €265 million, according to information from Trinity Bank, newstream.cz reports.

Hungarian real estate developer and investor Indotek Group has acquired two shopping centres, one located in Valencia and the other in Barcelona, from Socimi Merlin Properties. The amount of the transaction has not been disclosed, Forbes reports.

After 13 years of operation, Eurovea will become the largest shopping centre in Slovakia as its extension is set to open on May 25th. The centre reports an occupancy rate of 95% and promises to bring new brands and innovative concepts. The developer J&T Real Estate is now completing work on most of the buildings in the second phase of the Eurovea project.

Retail centres face pressure from different angles and most of them have started refurbishment programs including energy efficiency investments. Is that enough or do they need to invest more to keep up? Property Forum asked Judit Balatoni, Secretary General of the Hungarian Council of Shopping Centres (HCSC) about the ways operators meet current challenges.

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.

Cushman & Wakefield has taken over the management of a portfolio of three shopping centres and one retail park in the Czech Republic. Hungarian investment group Adventum Group bought this portfolio from Tesco last year in a unique transaction involving 18 retail projects across the CEE region. Cushman & Wakefield assisted its long-standing client Tesco in the sale and is now managing and exclusively leasing 50,000 sqm of retail in the Czech Republic space for Adventum.