ARTICLES LABELLED WITH TAG shopping

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.

The drop in footfall numbers in the majority of shopping centres combined with a drop in turnover, as well as ongoing talks between tenants and shopping centre owners have caused a slowdown or even temporary suspension of development plans of some retail chains, especially those in the fashion sector. JLL summarised conditions on Poland's retail market at the end of H1 2020.

The opening of Colosseum Mall in Bucharest, initially planned for the end of 2020, has been rescheduled for 2021, considering the unpredictability of the business environment under the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.

Shopping centres in Romania have reopened on June 15. In total, investments in all equipment, supplies and staff needed to ensure compliance with the safety and social distancing measures that are still needed to prevent the spread of coronavirus. exceed €500,000 for large shopping centres, according to Colliers International consultants. Shoppers will gradually resume their pre-pandemic habits and traffic in the malls could return to normal during the Christmas season.

Neinver, an investor, developer and operator in the European outlet centre industry and the largest operator in Spain and Poland, is certifying the COVID-19 hygiene and safety protocols and procedures implemented in the 20 centres it manages in five European countries. Neinver has reached an agreement with SGS, the world's leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company, to validate its safety protocols against the spread of COVID-19 in the centres it operates in Germany, Spain, Italy and Poland.

According to a study conducted by research body Inquiry for the Polish Council of Shopping Centres (PRCH), 51% of those surveyed visited shopping centres in the first week after they reopened following the easing of the lockdown measures. Out of these, 64% visited shopping centres to make specific purchases, while 31% went to browse the stores or to seek out promotions.

Nine shopping centre owners in Romania, together with CBRE, have urged the Romanian Government to reopen large shopping centres as soon as possible.

Developer NEPI Rockcastle completed the construction of the 39,800 sqm Shopping City Targu Mures project in Romania in Q1 2020. The opening was, however, rescheduled from the end of March to Q3 2020. The company is not launching new constructions until there is further clarity on the impact of COVID-19 on its operations.

With the easing of the strict governmental regulations in Budapest, NEPI Rockcastle Group, the owner of Arena Mall and Mammut Shopping and Entertainment Center is starting to get back to its usual operation. The company has introduced further safety measures in their Budapest shopping centres.

SES Spar European Shopping Centers has opened Aleja Center in Ljubljana on 20 May 2020. The €150 million investment serves as a mixed-use shopping and leisure hotspot. The centre was completed in March, but, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the originally planned opening date had to be postponed. The first shops with focus on local supply opened at the beginning of May, and the entire centre is set into full operation on 20 May. The Planet Lollipop children's adventure world and part of Aleja SKY are scheduled to open at a later date.