The footfall of shopping centers measured by the number of customers per 1 m2 of leasable space increased in June this year. by 1.4% compared to June 2019, according to the data of the Polish Council of Shopping Centers (PRCH). According to the data from May, turnover was 22% higher than in the corresponding month of 2019. This allows – according to the Council – to assess the growth opportunities in the shopping center sector with cautious optimism.
“Turnover in shopping centers is growing another month in a row, and customers visit them more often than before the pandemic. The Turnover Index shows that in May turnover increased by 22%, which is slightly faster than inflation. Visits, presented based on the Footfall Density Index , in June it was 1.4% higher than in June 2019. The latest data confirm that customers have returned to their pre-pandemic shopping habits, which allows us to be cautiously optimistic about the growth opportunities in the shopping center industry as inflation continues to rise. , energy costs and uncertainty about the further development of the economic situation,” commented President Krzysztof Poznański.
For the third month in a row, increased grocery shopping has had a major impact on the increase in turnover. They concern both Poles and additional consumers, who are refugees from Ukraine. In turn, the increase in turnover in gastronomy shows that customers who are eager for contacts with others have returned to their habits from before the pandemic and spending their free time in shopping centers. The social aspect of shopping centers is gaining in importance again, and theories about the decline in brick-and-mortar trade turned out to be wrong, the Council said.
In parallel with the increased turnover, the footfall is increasing, which since April 2022 has been higher than that from before the pandemic. The footfall results show the presence of a group of additional consumers from Ukraine. Their impact on the number of visitors is visible especially in places where refugees are concentrated, added.
The Polish Council of Shopping Centers (PRCH) is a not-for-profit association uniting over 200 companies operating in the retail and service space industry. The data on the number of visitors come from camera systems counting customers with an accuracy of up to 98%. Data is collected in over 120 retail facilities with a total area of more than 4.5 million m2, which accounts for 35% of the shopping center market in Poland.
Source: PRCH and ISBnews
