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Studies & Reports

THE MOST CURRENT STUDIES AND COUNTRY REPORTS

Disclaimer: We are not responsible for the information and availability of all research studies listed above/below. All studies and research articles are distributed by open sources, and the intellectual property rights are entirely reserved for the authors and institutional sources.

GRAI 3/2024 is driven by greater consumer confidence. The index compiled by Union Investment and GfK sees increased signs of recovery in eight European countries. The most significant increases are visible in Sweden and the Czech Republic, while overseas regions are stabilizing at a weak level.

Consumers in Europe continue to be affected by various crises. After inflation peaked in 2022, 2023 was characterized by an adjustment to the increased cost of living. Additionally, the multiple global crises and the loss of purchasing power caused uncertainty, which led to concerns and a change in consumer behavior.

According to Regio Data’s most recent report, while brick-and-mortar retailing throughout Europe has been in decline for years, factory outlet centers are developing magnificently. In total, the sales area of the 180 outlet centers is already around 4.6 million sq m, compared with 3.3 million sq m a decade ago. This results in an increased rate of almost 40% – and another 18 projects are in the planning stage.

Digitalization in the retail sector is in full swing. This is leading both to a changed shopping experience for customers of local suppliers and discounters and to simplified processes in the management and purchase and sale of retail real estate. However, retailers should be mindful of customers’ interests when using artificial intelligence (AI) in sales. While functioning digital systems are important, completely digital smart stores without personal support miss the mark when it comes to consumer needs. This is shown in the third GRR Basic Retail Report, which GRR Group is presenting with its cooperation partner Savills.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the European retail sector has been experiencing one crisis after another. As the pandemic faded, consumers and retailers finally hoped for relief, but the war in Ukraine immediately followed, causing further crises.

An analysis by RegioData of major European cities in terms of shopping center density yields significantly different results than the evaluations at the country level. While the highest density levels are achieved in the Scandinavian countries, the capitals in Eastern and Southeastern Europe (CEE/SEE) are ahead in the evaluation by city.

Retail and wholesale will need to continue to invest in digital, sustainability, and people, says Neil McMillan from EuroCommerce. ACROSS spoke with him about the current challenges facing the retail sector, the differences within the various European markets, and how the sector can deal with labor shortage and find a better e-commerce strategy.

One crisis follows the next. While retailers faced nationwide lockdowns, restrictions based on testing, vaccination, or recovery, and already disrupted supply chains last year, the war in Ukraine is bringing the issue of “consumer pricing” to the forefront. Additionally, supply chain disruptions and record energy prices are leading to unseen inflation rates in many European countries for several decades.