Deliveries of new retail projects could exceed the 200,000 sqm threshold this year, a level close to that recorded in 2023, when developers built 213,000 sqm of new retail space, a record in the last seven years, as shown by data from real estate consultancy Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.

In the first three quarters of 2024, 140,000 sqm of shopping centers and retail parks were completed nationwide. As a result of these deliveries, the modern retail stock in Romania reached 4.59 million sqm. The stock includes both shopping centers (55% of the spaces) and retail parks and shopping galleries (45%).

“The retail market is going through a very favorable moment, after having successfully overcome the difficult periods of recent years. The impressive growth of retail sales this year has remained well above the average recorded at the EU level, which encourages the development of new projects, but also the expansion of retail networks, whether we are talking about hypermarkets or supermarkets, or whether we are referring to fashion, DYI or other product segments,” says Dana Radoveneanu, Head of Retail Agency Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.

The development activity on the retail market will maintain its dynamism in the coming period, taking into account the consistent plans announced by the main developers in the short and long term, say the consultants from Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.

Thus, projects of over 800,000 leasable sqm are under construction or in various stages of authorization, whose delivery is scheduled in the next 5 years, including several super-regional shopping centers of over 100,000 sqm each.

Scandinavian furniture and home products retailer JYSK will open 4 new stores in Romania by the end of the year, after 7 others launched since January. At the same time, JYSK is nearing the end of the modernization program of units built before 2018, one of the largest investments made by the company over the years.
Since January 1st, the company has opened stores in Borșa, Bistrița, Sinaia, Târgu Mureș, Buzău, Cluj and Bucharest, with another 20 stores being reconfigured to meet the new Store 3.0 concept.

The first of the next 4 stores will be located in Crevedia, near Bucharest, and will be launched on November 14, 2024, with a reopening of a store in Petroșani also scheduled.

“At the end of 2024, we will have four stores left that need to be modernized, where the renovation work is conditioned by factors beyond our control. Not all old stores are in a space suitable for the new concept, and when this happens we have to find solutions, such as expanding the store or moving to a more suitable space,” says Alex Bratu, country director for JYSK Romania and Bulgaria.

Source: Profit.ro

Finnish fast-food restaurant chain Hesburger has opened a new unit in Romania, in Băneasa Shopping City, following an investment of EUR 500,000. The opening of the restaurant led to the creation of 20 jobs. So far, the company has invested 1.65 million euros in the local market.

“With the opening of this third restaurant in the capital, we continue our development strategy, focusing on establishing a strong presence in the Bucharest metropolitan area. After the recent launch of our restaurants at AFI Cotroceni and at Henri Coandă International Airport in Otopeni, the largest airport in Romania, we are happy to now expand our operations to another top location, Băneasa Shopping City, one of the largest shopping centers in the country. This place is a major attraction not only for the residents of Bucharest, but also for the many tourists visiting the area,” said Ieva Salmela, International Development & Marketing Director, Hesburger.

Hesburger plans to continue its expansion in Romania and open a total of 10 restaurants, following an investment of EUR 8 million in the first year of operation.