The first six months of 2022 saw limited deliveries of new modern retail schemes, with only two projects being added totalling some 27,000 square meters, according to Colliers mid-year market report.
The only openings in the first half of the year were expansion of the Colosseum Mall project (16,500 square meters) in Bucharest and the new Funshop Park Timisoara (10,800 square meters)
The second half of the year is going to be more active, with about 120,000 square meters of new retail schemes completed.
Still, Colliers consultants do not exclude the possibility that some of these projects could be delayed until the first part of 2023, especially if the developers meet certain difficulties with the construction or leasing process.
Vacancy registered in shopping centers remains relatively subdued in most instances, in single-digit territory, with the large dominant shopping centers now rather full.
On the rent front, while base rents have remained unchanged and landlords had to offer some discounts, particularly in 2020, but also in 2021, things have gradually returned to normal as well.
The turnover rent, however, remains slightly below levels seen before the pandemic, up to 5% below that level, on average.
Currently, Romania has a total modern retail stock over 4 million square meters, out of which over 2.7 million square meters in shopping centers and the rest mainly in retail parks.
Over 60% of the total modern retail area is concentrated in the top 10 largest cities (above 200,000 inhabitants).