January 2026

Retail Real Estate & Placemaking Outlook 2026

Top Voices of the Industry

ACROSS gathered a collection of insights and predictions shared by top voices of the European industry in our Online Special Outlook 2026 edition.

In 2026, loyalty is no longer simply a mechanism for repeat visits, it’s becoming a strategic framework for building long-term relationships between visitors, tenants, and retail destinations. And while personalization has been discussed for years, we are now entering a moment where it can finally move from “nice idea” to measurable reality. Ben Chesser, CEO of Coniq shares his outlook on 2026 placemaking.

As the market leader for large-scale shopping destinations in Austria and Slovenia, SES is looking ahead to the New Year with great optimism and is driving investments to further expand its footprint.

In a world where billions of dollars are being invested in AI capacity to increasingly digitally track and capture consumer trends, shopping centres remind consumers about the basic human need for social interaction and emotional experience that really drives a successful bricks and mortar retail business. Present COO – taking the role of CEO in April 2026 – of NEPI Rockcastle, Marek Noetzel discusses his perspective on placemaking 2026.

As the retail real estate industry enters a decisive year, Ian Sandford, President of Eurofund Group shares his outlook on how placemaking must transform in 2026 to meet expectations. With consumer demand outpacing traditional models, homogenous shopping centers are giving way to destinations built on purpose, partnership and community relevance.

As consumer priorities shift and brands reassess their physical retail strategies, London Designer Outlet (LDO) at Wembley shows, how location, experience and value-led retail can intersect. Matt Slade, Retail Director at Quintain, reflects on the year 2025.