This year has been subjected to disruption on an unprecedented scale. For retailers, retail property owners and investors alike, this year has been characterised by forced store closures, concerns over inventory and supply chains, difficult negotiations over rents and income, the rapid acceleration of e-commerce and omni-channel models, and general uncertainty that has touched all areas of the global population and economy, to name just a few. In this latest edition of our ExCEEding Borders series of reports, we take a look at the retail real estate market and sector across the CEE-17 countries, with a specific focus on shopping centre and retail park formats.
We also look at some of the trends impacting both consumers and the retail sector overall, some of which have been in the making for a few years already, plus we bring insights from a few of the key players who are active in the region. Although times are very challenging for many, there are some green shoots of optimism, whether they be related to news about vaccines and the impact they will have, or success stories that have risen out of the pandemic, through the need to adapt to the ever changing conditions and restrictions.
