Less customers, more purchases. What really happens in shopping centers?

– February 2025 did not bring a breakthrough for the shopping centers industry. Total turnover decreased by 2.8 percent. In terms of year -on -year, and visuality (Footfall density Index), measured by the number of customers per 1 sq m. lease area, it was 5.2 percent lower – informs the Polish Council of Shopping Centers (PRCH).

February results of shopping center

As the analysts from the PRCH emphasize, last year was a criminal year, which meant an additional trade day in February 2024. Despite the lower traffic intensity, the conversion rate increased by 2.4 percent, which indicates that customers spent more during a single visit to the shopping center. The greatest increases in turnover were recorded in terms of specialist articles, entertainment, health and beauty.

– When looking at the results of individual months, you should keep in mind a number of factors that affect visibility and turnover in shopping centers. 2024 was a crime year, which means that in February there were 25 shopping days, while in 2025 there were 4 percent of them. less (24 commercial days). In addition, winter holidays throughout Poland fell on more days of February in 2025 than in the same month of the previous year. We analyze the results of each month with insight, and the observed solid data of visits and turnover in shopping centers over the year confirms the stability of the commercial real estate market, focusing safe and profitable assets – comments Marcin Klammer, managing director of the Polish Council of Shopping Center.

The conversion in shopping centers is growing

These data indicate that consumers make purchasing decisions more carefully, but with greater determination. This confirms the increase in the conversion rate by 2.4 percent, which means higher average customer expenses during a single visit to the shopping center. Simply put, although the number of visitors was smaller, those who appeared spent more than a year ago. This is a positive signal for tenants and facilities operators, testifying to greater readiness to shop on the website of visitors.

Some purchasing categories stood out in the context of general trends. Stores offering specialist articles (+2.6 percent), entertainment points (+2.3 percent) and health and beauty segment (+1.8 percent) recorded the highest increases in turnover. These results suggest that customers are increasingly treating shopping centers and parks not only as a place of shopping, but also a space for spending free time and taking care of their well -being.

In turn, when it comes to the division according to the size of the facilities, the largest turnover of turnover took place in large shopping centers (-4.5 percent) and medium-sized facilities (-3.3 percent). Very large galleries (over 60,000 sq m GLA) did the best, where the decrease was only 1.2 percent. In the case of small and very small centers, the result was -2 percent.

Expert: “Tracking the results of shopping malls will be interesting this year”

According to data from the Central Statistical Office (CSO), February 2025 brought mixed results in retail. Retail sales at fixed prices fell by 0.5 percent. compared to the same month last year (due to the increase of 6.1 percent in February 2024). As the experts from the PRCH emphasize, these data show that the entire commercial industry in Poland is still dealing with challenges related to postpandemic consumption transformation, requiring macroeconomic environment and consumer caution.

– February 2024 was characterized by an extremely high increase in sales (according to the Central Statistical Office), which means an extremely high base for comparison and unfavorable results in this context February 2024. It is difficult to say whether the solder results are the beginning of a negative trend or e.g. correction after January and the effect of a number of phenomena from February that could affect consumer purchases. And, first of all, they were high temperatures that always negatively affect the sale of winter collections. Secondly, winter holidays and perhaps redirecting consumer expenditure towards tourism and recreation. Thirdly, in February he slowed down wages, which can be crucial, especially since inflation in Poland is still high, and consumers feel high maintenance costs – notes Przemysław Dwojak, senior client Business Partner at GFK – Ani Niq Company.

In his opinion, this translates directly into restrictions on spending on pleasure.

– There are a number of other interesting phenomena, such as the development of Chinese trading platforms, depopulating cities, development of economic brands, and change of shopping habits. And this means that monthly tracking of results will be interesting, because they can surprise us this year many times – sums up Dwójak.