Investment volume in retail parks rose by around 53% in 2025 to €3.1 billion, making them responsible for just over 48% of nationwide retail investments (compared to a 32% market share in 2024). This is according to the Grocery Investment Market Report, which BNP Paribas Real Estate has now published once again.
Driven by new expectations, mixed-use thinking, and a renewed focus on social value, retail is emerging again as a key force in shaping vibrant, resilient cities. Best practice examples demonstrate how thriving urban retail real estate destinations can be designed.
In an exclusive ACROSS interview, Roman Müller, Head of Investment Management Retail at Union Investment, explains why early revaluation, operational strength, and disciplined positioning are driving renewed institutional interest in retail real estate — and why further concentration in the European retail market is inevitable.
Romania’s retail real estate market continues to demonstrate resilience. According to the latest outlook by CBRE, the sector remains one of the most stable pillars of the local property market.
European retail real estate closed 2025 in positive territory, according to Altus Group. With values rising 1.6% year-on-year, as improving cashflows and stabilizing yields signaled a gradual recovery following a two-year market correction.
German retail is proving resilient in a challenging economic environment, yet the sector continues to undergo significant structural change. This is the conclusion of the retail section of the ZIA Spring Real Estate Report 2026, prepared by BBE Handelsberatung in cooperation with the IPH Group.
With the planned modernization of the IKEA store in Klagenfurt, IKEA is implementing an internationally groundbreaking project: for the first time worldwide, an external retailer will be integrated directly into an IKEA furniture store.
The UK government plans to introduce new measures to deal with business rates from April this year. Andrea Barnes, Head of Business Rates at Form Property, believes that retailers, pubs and restaurants are quietly heading towards a business rates reckoning – and some won’t survive it.
Vukile Property Fund (JSE: VKE), the leading consumer-focused specialist retail real estate investment trust (REIT), has acquired a 35% stake in Pradera Limited, a leading specialist retail property investment fund and asset manager with a 25-year track record across the UK, Europe, China and the Middle East.
Union Investment has acquired the Gewerbepark Stadlau in Vienna. Seller is the listed real estate company Nextensa from Brussels. The retail park is located in Donaustadt, Vienna’s 22nd district, and is therefore within one of the city’s busiest commercial areas. The purchase was made for an open-ended special real estate fund managed by Union Investment. The purchase price is around EUR 36 million.
Albania’s retail market is evolving at unprecedented speed. As CEO of ACREM, Mariola Kuçi heads one of BALFIN Group’s key companies, operating in Albania and North Macedonia and driving the modernization of commercial real estate and retail standards. Under her leadership, ACREM has established itself as Albania’s leading commercial property management company, while also contributing expertise for BALFIN Group’s other assets such as East Gate Mall in North Macedonia, among the region’s landmark retail destinations.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi – two cities defined by ambition, scale, and relentless reinvention – served as the stage for the ACROSS Study Tour 2025, held from November 26 to 28.
Retail real estate is entering a new era. Physical places act not just as trading environments but as powerful media platforms. Portland Design’s Head of Data & Analytics, Paddy Gamble, shares how emotional engagement, digital reach, and behavioral insights are reshaping the success of places.
In its 30th year, MAPIC took a more introspective turn. The fair may have felt smaller and calmer, but behind the scenes, new ideas about the future of retail and placemaking are quietly taking shape.
Retail PIN, the German-based think tank for retail real estate, has published its new position paper, which explores how retail properties can generate impact today: economically, socially, and environmentally. The paper provides insights on management, leasing models, operations, and legal frameworks, offering a holistic perspective on the evolving retail property landscape.
As Europe’s retailers and landlords head into the most decisive quarter of the year, success hinges not only on footfall, but on clarity. With up to 40% of annual revenue at stake, real-time sales collection and automated reporting have become critical tools to track performance, manage risk, and capture opportunities. From tenant health to turnover rent, automation is transforming holiday trading from a logistical scramble into a data-driven advantage.
In Central and Eastern Europe, BIG has pursued a dual-track strategy: building a strong footprint in the Balkans via BIG CEE, and entering Poland only three years ago. Within this short period, the Polish arm has grown to a portfolio of 10 operating retail parks, with three more in development, making it one of the fastest-growing players in the country. To understand how BIG managed such rapid expansion in one of Europe’s most competitive retail markets, we spoke with Eran Levy, Chief Operating Executive of BIG Poland.
Investment market results in Poland for Q1-Q3 2025 reflect stable market condition, with year-to-date volume aligning closely with the Q1-Q3 2024 results. By the end of September, the Polish investment market reached a total volume of €2.6 billion within 105 transactions, indicating increased liquidity. Polish capital continues to gain momentum, capitalizing on attractive pricing opportunities. In contrast, core capital remains cautious, with only two transactions exceeding the €100 million mark.
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