Wednesday, 29 October 2025
The volume of new retail space delivered across Romania in the first nine months of 2025 has already exceeded the total recorded for the entire previous year, according to the Q3 2025 Romania Retail Marketbeat report published by Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.
Between January and September, developers completed 186,000 square metres of new retail space, overtaking the 180,000 square metres delivered during 2024. A further 30,000 square metres is expected to be finalised by year-end, bringing the projected total for 2025 to approximately 217,000 square metres — positioning this year as one of the most active for retail development in the past decade.
Three new schemes were completed in the third quarter, all located in the Transylvania region. The largest, Agora Arad (36,000 sq m), opened after a full redevelopment of the former Galleria Arad centre, now hosting a mix of retailers including Senic, Sinsay, Pepco, CCC, and Happy Cinema. Cushman & Wakefield Echinox advised on the leasing strategy for the project.
Other Q3 completions included Zacaria Retail Park Cisnădie (8,600 sq m) and the third phase of Prima Shops Sibiu (4,500 sq m). These additions highlight continued investor confidence in regional markets beyond Bucharest, driven by expanding purchasing power and steady consumer demand.
Prime headline rents remained stable during Q3, with flagship high-street units on Calea Victoriei achieving around €70 per square metre per month, while major shopping centres in Bucharest and other large cities command €50–90 per square metre per month for ground-floor units of 100–200 sq m.
The total modern retail stock in Romania now stands at 4.8 million square metres, equating to 252 sq m per 1,000 inhabitants. Meanwhile, projects exceeding 700,000 sq m of gross lettable area (GLA) are in various stages of construction or planning, scheduled for delivery by the end of the decade.
Despite a challenging macroeconomic backdrop—marked by 8.5% inflation and new fiscal measures to reduce the budget deficit—the report highlights a resilient retail sector supported by consumer demand and active developer pipelines.
“The retail market’s performance throughout 2025 reflects its resilience and the confidence developers and retailers have in Romania,” said Dana Rădoveneanu, Head of Retail Agency at Cushman & Wakefield Echinox. “We are pleased to see major investments in regional cities and an increasingly diverse offer for consumers. Even in a complex economic environment, Romanians continue to seek new shopping and social experiences, and developers are responding with modern, community-oriented projects.”
Romania’s retail market remains on an upward trajectory, buoyed by steady household consumption and the ongoing expansion of regional hubs. Cushman & Wakefield Echinox expects the robust pipeline of developments—particularly in secondary cities—to sustain activity levels over the next several years, reinforcing the country’s position as one of the most dynamic retail markets in Central and Eastern Europe.
Source: Cushman & Wakefield Echinox, “Romania Retail Marketbeat Q3 2025”
