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FREY Group has transformed the retail landscape with its open-air Shopping Promenades, and now it is venturing boldly into the outlet sector. In this exclusive interview, Chairman & CEO Antoine Frey explains why the acquisition of ROS was pivotal, how cultural placemaking and B Corp sustainability guide the company’s vision, and why projects like Malmö Designer Village and Designer Outlet Berlin are setting new standards across Europe.

In the evolving outlet retail landscape, tenant performance is more than a priority. It’s the engine of profitability. In this expert commentary, Rioja Estates’ Managing Director Giles Membrey lifts the curtain on why thriving tenants lead to thriving assets. From data-driven collaboration to precision in unit sizing, location, and customer experience, Membrey reveals how strategic landlord-brand partnerships are redefining retail success – one store at a time.

Deka Immobilien has appointed HBB Centermanagement GmbH & Co. KG to handle center management, including commercial and technical property management as well as leasing management, for two of its shopping centers: the Nedderfeld Center in Hamburg and the Alleen Center in Trier. The handover will take place on January 1, 2026.

Outlet Village Sofia: Bulgaria’s First Open-Air Outlet Concept Breaks Ground: Strategically positioned at the gateway to Sofia, right at the junction of one of Bulgaria’s two main highways, Outlet Village Sofia is set to redefine shopping in the region. Benefiting from the constant traffic of international travelers passing the capital and domestic tourists on the move, the project promises a steady stream of diverse shoppers. An interview with Ivan Nachkov, COO of Trinity Capital, and Simona Parvanova, Director of Leasing & Marketing, on the latest plans and developments at Trinity Capital.

VIA Outlets, owner-operator of 11 premium fashion outlet centres across Europe, is proud to announce its exceptional results in the 2025 GRESB Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark report. Not only has the group reached its highest ever score of 98/100, but it also achieved a 5-Star rating for the sixth consecutive year and was placed 1st in the ‘European Retail’ category.

Redevco, one of Europe’s largest privately-owned real estate management firms, today announces the launch of its closed-end Redevco European Retail Parks Fund. This new investment vehicle focuses on acquiring and managing high-quality, convenience-led retail parks across Europe and the UK. The strategy is backed by commitments from CBRE Investment Management’s (“CBRE IM”) Indirect Real Estate Strategies, acting on behalf of global institutional investors, as well as co-investment by Redevco.

The European luxury markets remain resilient, bolstered not only by high-wealth luxury shoppers but also the return of high-spending tourists to Europe, reveals the 2024 European Luxury Retail Report by Cushman & Wakefield.

The German transaction market for retail space recorded a low transaction volume of around EUR 2.8 billion in the first half of 2023 – compared with around EUR 7.8 billion in 2022 as a whole. Overall, it can be seen that online retail is having a negative impact on the development of sales in stationary retail even after the Corona pandemic. However, stationary retail for everyday needs in particular, such as retail parks in residential areas with a high population density, is proving robust and benefiting from the new situation. These trends extend much further than just Germany, as similar patterns can be recognized on other European markets as well.

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.

MEC, the retail real estate specialist and German market leader for the operation of retail parks, has successfully completed 48 general planning projects in 2022. MEC’s Technical Property Management (TPM) team was given 36 contracts for complex construction measures at central locations.

The UK’s indoor family activity brand, Oxygen, has appointed Stärka, the leisure real estate advisory business, to support the brand’s expansion throughout the UK. Stärka’s brief is to secure strategically located sites of between 1,858 sq m to 2,787 sq m owned or managed by landlords that are looking to provide a unique experience for their customers and visitors.

Finnish retail real estate tech company HyperIn’s latest mall retailer data shows that sustainability-related tenant offers have risen significantly in 2022, with the word green appearing in up to four times as many offers over the last year. The trend is an indicator for retailers on ad targeting, pointing towards an increasing share of ads for green products and experiences.