- The total area of modern commercial facilities put into operation in the first half of 2024 in Poland amounted to 175,000. sq m – according to Colliers data. As a result, the total resources in the country exceeded 13 million sq m.
- The vast majority of the new supply, over 90%, was implemented in the form of retail parks. 380,000 are currently under construction. sq m, of which as much as 78% is scheduled for completion this year.
Retail parks dominated supply
In the first half of 2024, 175,000 were put into operation. sq m modern retail space, which means an increase of nearly 30,000 sq m compared to the same period in the previous year. The new supply was dominated by retail parks – 13 new projects accounted for 160,000 sq m. sq m new surface.
The largest facility, put into operation in March 2024, was OTO Park Koszalin, offering 38,000 sq m. sq m The only traditional shopping center opened during this period was Galeria Starówka in Leszno (15.2 thousand sq m).
Reconstructions of existing facilities also had a significant impact on new supply. In the first half of the year, the S1 Bytom retail park, built on the site of the former Tesco, was put into operation. Its area after reconstruction is 14,000 m2. sq m The expansion also included, among others: Dekada in Grójec, Multishop in Sochaczewski or the Karuzela retail park located in Biała Podlaska.
– The dynamic development of retail parks, new outlet centers and the growing importance of food hall concepts confirm that the retail real estate market in Poland is in a phase of intensive transformation, adapting to the changing needs of consumers. In terms of location, developers are very interested in smaller centers and the suburbs of the largest agglomerations, says Wojciech Wojtowicz, senior analyst in the Consulting and Market Research Department at Colliers.
The space saturation of shopping centers in Poland at the end of the first half of 2024 was 343 sq m. per 1,000 inhabitants. For comparison, in the same period last year this ratio was 13 sq m higher. lower.
New facilities and space optimization
In the first half of 2024, the demand for retail space in Poland was invariably dominated by retail chains from the economy sector, discount stores and off-price stores. Chains of electronics stores were also particularly active, not only opening new branches, but also optimizing the space of existing ones. A significant move in the electronics sector was related to the restructuring of the NEONET network, which abandoned selected locations. As a result, competing brands decided to take over some of the existing facilities, e.g. in Milanówek and Suwałki.
DIY chains also implemented an ambitious development strategy . Castorama opened a new hall as part of the shopping complex at Wojska Polskiego Street in Piła, and a new free-standing facility of this chain was built in Biała Podlaska. In Grójec, as part of the Dekada project, a Castorama branch with the Smart concept was opened. Leroy Merlin, in the place of the former Tesco hypermarket, opened a new store in Poznań, and in Biała Podlaska, the chain's new facility joined the Karuzela retail park. Food chains, especially discount chains, also continued to develop dynamically.
The catering sector also showed increased activity. In May, the Hala Maki concept with six catering outlets was opened in the Atut Ruczaj project in Krakow. After a few months of break, the food hall in the historic market hall in Bydgoszcz was reopened, now operating under the name Gwar. In Warsaw, Hala Gwardii was taken over by the manager CBR Events and is currently under renovation. In Gdańsk, Apsys plans to rebuild the Market Hall into a food hall, and similar projects have also been announced in Sopot, Toruń and Poznań.
– We are currently observing a return of the activity of catering tenants to pre-pandemic levels. This is especially visible in the case of fast food chains and "large" restaurateurs who have capital and appetite for development. Foreign entities also recognize the potential of the Polish market, which is confirmed by the interest in our country in brands such as Popeyes and Wendy's. The field of interest of catering tenants remains invariably premises on shopping streets in the centers of large cities, although their place is increasingly taken by spaces in multi-functional projects and food halls, as well as locations in modern residential buildings – explains Paweł Paciorek, Senior Associate, Retail Agency, Colliers.
Despite intensive development, the Polish retail space market also saw significant closures. In the first half of 2024, the last Alma delicatessen store, as well as Hunkemoller brand stores, closed their operations. The Kontigo drugstore chain announced a plan to liquidate all stationary branches in Poland in favor of developing the online sales channel.
The average vacancy rate for shopping centers in the first half of 2024 was 3.6%.
Trends in the e-commerce market
In the first half of 2024, the share of e-commerce sales in retail trade, according to Central Statistical Office data, ranged from 8% in March to 8.8% in January and April. Although these results do not differ compared to the same period last year, over these few months the e-commerce market has experienced many important events and changes that have significantly influenced its dynamics.
The leader of the Polish convenience store market, the Żabka Group, decided to combine Delio and Jush services within one application (Żabka Jush), and the courier service provider Wolt expanded its operations to additional cities, such as Toruń, Olsztyn, Częstochowa, Chorzów, Sosnowiec and Piaseczno.
The Hesburger brand debuted on the Bolt Food platform, starting its operations in Poland with delivery sales. The largest food retailer in Poland, Biedronka, has launched an e-store, but at the moment it only serves selected parts of Warsaw. Kaufland also presented plans to expand its e-commerce operations and intends to launch a platform for ordering purchases with delivery called Kaufland Marketplace this year.
The HalfPrice chain, however, decided to make the opposite move, closing its online store at the end of the first quarter of 2024.
New investments and development prospects
At the end of June 2024, approximately 380,000 were under construction. sq m commercial space, of which nearly 300 thousand sq m is planned for completion this year. Retail parks remain the dominant format – they constitute approximately 290,000 sq m. sq m, which accounts for 75% of the constructed area.
The largest commercial facility undergoing reconstruction is the Nowa Głosja shopping and entertainment center in Łódź, with an area of 35,000 m2. sq m The largest retail parks under construction include BIG Ostróda (27,000 sq m), Silwana in Gorzów Wielkopolski (25,000 sq m), Vendo Park Szczecin (over 20,000 sq m) and San Park Mysiadło (18,500 sq m). sq m) in the Warsaw agglomeration.
In the central point of Warsaw, at Rondo Dmowskiego, a flagship store of the Empik chain is being built with an area of 1,300 sq m, which is to restore the historic appearance of the Cepelia pavilion. Warsaw is also becoming more and more attractive for luxury brands. A Bulgari salon will be opened on Plac Trzech Krzyży, and a Dior boutique will appear in the Vitkac project.
High activity of investors and tenants related to food hall concepts is also expected. Announcements of such projects include, among others: a historic market hall in Gdańsk, Hala Gwardii in Warsaw, Krzywy Domek in Sopot and investments in Poznań and Toruń.
