The Hungarian Economics Ministry has turned down 12 of the 41 applications submitted by retail developers for exemptions to the ban on new shopping centers. Fifteen have been accepted, meaning that work on the projects can in theory move ahead. The biggest losers according to media reports are Metro and Penny Market, both German-owned groups. The ban on the development of any retail center unit larger than 300 sqm went into effect towards the end of last year. The thinking behind the ban is unclear, but is said to be a reaction to the increasing dominance of the retail sector in Hungary by large, often foreign groups.
