In an age in which digital dominates and foot traffic is harder to attract, retail spaces are being reimagined not just as places to shop, but as platforms for experience, education, and emotional connection. In her latest piece, Pınar Yalçınkaya, CEO of MPC Properties, explores how AI, sustainability, and creative activations are helping transform shopping centers across Serbia into vibrant hubs of relevance. From beekeeper suits and dinosaur replicas to podcast stages and robots that greet you by name, MPC is proving that future-proof retail is less about space and more about meaning.
Retail and tourism are merging, as malls transform into destinations where visitors seek experiences, not just products. From Dubai Mall to Mall of America, the world’s shopping centers are reinventing themselves with entertainment, digital services, and personalized journeys. With innovations like SmartGifty, even regional players such as BTC City Ljubljana are proving how digital gift cards, loyalty programs, and smart platforms can turn retail hubs into tourist magnets. The future of shopping is experiential, digital, and sustainable. And it’s already here.
“When the tenant thrives, the asset survives” is an old saying in retail real estate leasing management. But survival is only the baseline – the ambition must go further. Not just to “survive” – the asset should “fly.” But what will it take in 2025 for an asset to take off? For this cover story, we asked leading figures in the European retail real estate sector what they see as the most significant current challenges, as well as the solutions needed, for retail assets not just to survive but to prosper.
BIG CEE will officially open Serbia’s first lifestyle retail park – BIG Čačak – on September 18. Covering 16,500 sq m and representing an investment of €25 million, the project introduces a diverse mix of well-known domestic and international brands, along with leisure and entertainment facilities designed for all generations.
Retail is reinventing itself – one game at a time. As the mega-multiplex era fades and streaming dominates screens, malls and mixed-use destinations are turning to competitive socializing. Mini-golf with cocktails, high-tech darts, F1 simulators, and bowling-meets-karaoke mash-ups are the new anchors of experience. More than just entertainment, these hybrid venues are reshaping consumer journeys, driving footfall, and transforming retail spaces into cultural playgrounds as Will Odwarka explains in his latest column for ACROSS.
HyperIn, a Finland-based proptech company with R&D hubs in Helsinki and Hong Kong, is expanding its platform from shopping centers to the wider commercial real estate sector, including mixed-use developments, business parks, airports, and specialty leasing environments.
Sonae Sierra, a vertically integrated real estate company and a leading player in the European Shopping Center space, has signed an agreement with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield to acquire its German business unit dedicated to the management of shopping centers for third parties – Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield Real Estate Management (“URW REM”). The transaction is subject to approval by the relevant competition authorities.
ESG is everywhere in commercial real estate – on investor slides, in procurement tenders, in board-level commitments. However, while the environmental and governance pillars are well-institutionalized, the social side often remains vague, difficult to quantify, and harder to activate. That gap caught my attention, states Jean Carlos Delgado, Brand and Marketing Director, HyperIn Inc.
Retail is no longer defined by the mid-market segment. Across the globe, a growing divide is reshaping the sector: Luxury brands are thriving on exclusivity and immersive experiences, while discount retailers are rapidly expanding through pricing power and operational scale. Mid-market players – the dependable heart of shopping centers – are being squeezed out, explains Yurdaer Kahraman, CEO and Board Member of Fiba Commercial Properties.
Market analysts show that retail is becoming increasingly polarized: Consumers are shifting toward either high-end experiences or low-cost purchases, leaving mid-market retailers struggling. This divide affects both retailers and locations — with vibrant city hubs thriving while smaller towns face challenges.
Travel retail is an industry in transition, driven by a resurgence in travel activity, new consumer expectations, technological innovations, and a growing demand for sustainable concepts. Michael Ripfl, Sales Director for Nordics & Travel Retail at umdasch The Store Makers, provides an in-depth insight into current developments, long-term trends, and specific project examples. It becomes clear that what once began as the “sale of spirits and tobacco” has now evolved into a complex interplay of retailtainment, locality, and an innovative customer approach.
NEPI Rockcastle’s renewable energy output is expected to expand to cover 48% of the electricity demand of its shopping centres and tenants in Romania, the company’s largest market, by the end of 2026 – up from 6% at the end of 2024. CEE’s largest retail real estate company is deploying a new 54.1 MW greenfield solar power park in western Romania under a €110 million programme – the biggest green energy investment for a non-energy sector corporate across the region’s markets.
The demands placed on brick-and-mortar retailers have intensified significantly: Experiences, clear positioning, and top-quality levels are no longer optional, but mandatory. “Only those who provide a sense of clarity stand a chance of survival.” Christoph Andexlinger, CEO of SES Spar European Shopping Centers, speaks with ACROSS about the realignment of traditional shopping centers, the power of regional retailers, and why mid-range segment retailers will only have a future, if they are uncomprisingly clearly positioned.
In today’s evolving retail landscape, marketing automation is no longer optional, it is essential. Shopping centers, once purely transactional spaces, are now transforming into dynamic destinations for experience, entertainment, and community connection. However, in a world in which consumers expect relevance, immediacy, and personalization, how can centers deliver consistent, high-quality engagement without overwhelming their marketing teams?
The winners of the 2025 Solal Marketing Awards were announced at an outstanding gala event at fashionable leisure venue Fabryka Norblina in Warsaw. The live event was the first celebration of the most effective and innovative marketing campaigns in the shopping center industry since the pandemic. A record-number of entries in eleven distinct categories were received, with finalists joining the event from countries right across Europe, Canada and South Africa.
The retail landscape is undergoing a dramatic shift, influenced by the increasing demand for health, well-being, and sustainability from both tenants and the wider community, alongside the growing polarization of the market. The most successful retail transformations are those that adapt to these dual forces by prioritizing the creation of healthy and sustainable environments, catering to a range of tenant and community needs. This necessitates a thorough understanding of their intricate interplay and a proactive approach to development and asset management.
Following its multi-year transformation program, the fashion and homeware retailer aims to invest over 25 million pounds into its UK store estate this year.
In “Kämmerei”, Düsseldorf has a prime example of how retail space can be combined with other concepts in a sustainable way. The former administration building is being carefully revitalized by umdasch The Store Makers to become modern mix of office, retail, restaurant and event space.
To quicken the checkout process for shoppers, shopreme’s Scan and Go helps customers scan products conveniently on their smartphone and pay directly in the app.
As Asia stands at a pivotal moment for sustainable development, Nordic Innovation was in the spotlight at EXPO 2025 Osaka, as well as SusHi Tech Tokyo 2025, with leaders and companies sharing ideas on how technology can make cities more livable, resilient, and sustainable. The events emphasized the importance of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) principles in shaping the future of urban development, from green infrastructure to inclusive economic growth.
In 2025, the recovery of Europe’s grocery retail market is expected to gain momentum. CEOs in Europe are slightly more optimistic than they were last year despite the next few years remaining challenging, with low volume growth and sustained pressure on profitability, points out a new study by McKinsey & Company.
By 2035, Gen Y will account for the largest share of global spending on air travel, which is why travel retail must do everything it can to remain relevant to this target group. Millennials’ demand for experiences is also shaping their purchasing and travel behavior, forcing retailers to rethink their store design and marketing strategies. Together with the subsequent Gen Z – whose values are guided by topics such as digitalization, authenticity and sustainability – these generations are not only influencing retail in general, but also the concept of the airport of tomorrow.
Retail spaces must go beyond static displays and generic signage. Montse Ortega states that a well-executed VM strategy orchestrates movement, builds anticipation, and influences purchasing decisions. NEINVER’s Visual Merchandising & Experience expert explains how thoughtful Visual Merchandising enhances engagement, drives sales, and creates a shopping experience that customers want to return to.
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