Retail

NEPI Rockcastle is investing around 300 million euros in a 55,000 sq m GLA mixed-use (retail, offices, hotel) extension of the Promenada Mall in Bucharest and refurbishment of the existing shopping center. This represents by far the largest retail development currently underway across all Central and Eastern European markets and is on schedule to be completed by the end of 2026/early-2027.

Changing consumer habits, rising living costs, and a growing awareness of the right balance between price and quality have intensified competition for customers. A recent study by Statista focusing on Germany’s consumer market explores how consumers make purchasing decisions today, what influences their behavior, and which long-term trends are emerging.

Malmö Designer Village is an upcoming premium outlet village in Löddeköpinge, Sweden, uniquely positioned to serve both Swedish and Danish markets. Now under the leadership of FREY Group (following the acquisition of the project from UK developer Rioja Estates in 2024), it marks FREY’s first outlet development and a significant expansion of its open-air retail portfolio. Over 3.8 million visitors within 90-minutes and 10+ million tourists fall within its reach, including the major population centers of southern Sweden and the Copenhagen metropolitan area. With all necessary planning permissions secured and no objections, construction began in mid-2024.

With the acquisition of Designer Outlet Berlin just last week, and the upcoming opening of ROS Retail Outlet Shopping’s new location in Kraków, Poland, the current projects under ROS and FREY are a testament to their vision as well as the segment’s potential. In an interview with ACROSS, Thomas Reichenauer, Co-Founder and Managing Director of ROS, goes into detail about their current high-profile projects on the outlet market, where they see further potential, and the advantages brought by the merger between ROS and FREY as they aim to become the market leaders in Europe.

With the book Modern Retail Management, Dr. Johannes B. Berentzen and Dr. Philipp Hoog present an outstanding collection that takes an in-depth look at the pressing issues of today’s – and tomorrow’s – retail landscape. Featuring 24 thought-provoking chapters by 36 leading experts, the book offers a rare blend of academic insight and practical guidance. From digital transformation and omnichannel strategy to sustainability and AI, this forward-looking volume equips readers with the tools and ideas needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving sector. Essential reading for anyone looking to shape the future of retail.

NUGA Castellana will be designed for “work, live and play”. The goal is to unify all spaces which are managed by PIMCO Prime Real Estate — Paseo de la Castellana 200-208, Félix Boix 4-8, Doctor Fleming 39-41, and Carlos Maurrás 7 (five residential units out of the 14 that make up the asset, alongside commercial spaces) — into a single block that blends cutting-edge design with the most advanced technology.

At Main-Taunus-Zentrum (MTZ), one of the largest and most successful shopping centers in Germany, ECE Marketplaces has realized a new destination within the center being a further development of the open structure and providing an additional USP of the center. In the middle of the open-air shopping center in Sulzbach near Frankfurt am Main, the new “Food Garden” creates a lively new urban center with a high quality, varied gastronomy offering in five free-standing restaurant buildings for a total of eight restaurant concepts, inviting outdoor terraces, and attractive green spaces.

The approval of the planning permission has paved the way for the large-scale modernization of SILLPARK Innsbruck, to be implemented by fall 2026 while the center operates as normal and without impacting shop opening times. The construction work on the mall began a few days ago, with no restrictions for visitors. SILLPARK, Innsbruck’s first city-center shopping mall, opened in 1990 and will now also gain a completely new health park. The investment of EUR 30 million will make SILLPARK the most modern location in Tyrol for socializing and shopping.

Las Vegas welcomed its first two Aldi stores in the presence of a large number of expectant consumers, which shows the retailer’s success with its popular brand strategy in the local market. The debuting stores opened as part of Aldi’s 9 billion euro expansion strategy in the country.