The European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into force on May 25, 2018. It harmonizes data privacy laws across Europe. Companies will be more accountable for their handling of people’s personal data and it will change how they handle information about their customers, their employees and their suppliers.

All through the years, commercial models in the retail sector have been evolving in alignment with changing consumer habits. It goes without saying that these consumer habits have experienced a huge transformation lately, especially due to the rapid advance of technologies and the digital era. However, I don’t believe that the boom of ecommerce will lead to the extinction of most shopping malls.

Often, the viability of a retail destination is judged by its catchment and the affluence of the local residential population.

Consumers have the technological freedom to shop whenever and wherever they want, and brands are expected to work much harder than ever before to maintain their loyalty.

Digitalisation, especially in the form of online trade, often gets blamed for dramatic changes in the retail sector, and the death of the classic old-school store. One might think that it is putting an end to the brick and mortar star, currently shining brightly in the investment sky.

Since real estate has become both more professional and specialised, dedicated undergraduate and postgraduate real estate education has become widely available. Investing in optimising through ongoing professional development yields returns for both the individual and the organisation.

From the very beginning, the position of the Polish Council of Shopping Centres (PRCH) was that the draft bill banning Sunday trading was a bad idea for all the interested parties.

The ACROSS Advisory Board is happy to announce its latest addition and welcomes Andreas Hohlmann, Managing Director of Unibail-­Rodamco Germany GmbH, as its new member.

Tom McGee, President and CEO of ICSC, says new Asian malls will be tailored to meet the needs of the younger generation. Existing shopping centers in Europe and the US are changing accordingly.

A lot has changed in modern mainstream cinema over the last years. Digital technology replaced the old 35mm film projection. This was not just a big leap in terms of quality, it also revolutionized the content spectrum that can be shown in cinema auditoriums.

In these uncertain times, it is no surprise that consumers are being more savvy with their money. Nowhere is this better evinced than in the growing popularity of outlet retail, which is now more attractive than ever to the UK’s bargain hunting consumers.

Jonathan Doughty, Global Head of Foodservice at ECE, was chosen by the editorial team of ACROSS and its Advisory Board as the most outstanding person of the industry in the past year. His selection also reflects the increasing relevance of gastronomy areas in European retail properties.

The editorial team of “ACROSS – The European Retail Real Estate Magazine” and its Advisory Board, which consists of 18 top experts of the shopping center industry, has chosen the most outstanding person of the industry in the past year – the “Man of the Year 2017.”

From “A” as in “Apsys” to “U” as in “Unibail-Rodamco Germany”: Representatives of 27 companies of the European real estate industry venture a glimpse into the industry’s near future.

The ACROSS Advisory Board is happy to announce its latest addition and welcomes Thomas Mark as its new member.

Relentless cost cutting and highly flexible supply chains, sensitive to every change in the whims of consumer taste, are the stock in trade of today’s successful value fashion retailer on the unforgiving battlefield of Europe’s High Streets. At the other end of the spectrum, luxury brands deliver experiences that are more akin to theatre and TV commercials than the stores of times past.

Between eBay, Etsy and Amazon, it’s getting harder and harder to ignore the writing on the wall – online retail is here to stay, and it will continue to upend the retail economy.

Recruitments, promotions and appointments in the European Retail Real Estate Industry.

The retail real estate industry today is facing disruption from many sides. The digital revolution has been deep and widespread, generating ripples that include e-commerce, social media, and the rise of technology in every aspect of our lives.

We are living in probably the most interesting and exciting times for the retail industry as a whole. I believe that we are at a tipping point. You only have to look at the two most successful fashion brands today: H&M and Inditex Group.

Think of each of the new challenges you have had to confront over the past decade as a cloud appearing in an otherwise blue sky. From rapidly changing consumer behavior to e-commerce, each cloud cast a shadow on “business as usual.” On their own. none threatened to spoil the picnic. As gathering clouds darken the sky, however, it looks to some like a storm is coming.

Recruitments, promotions and appointments in the European Retail Real Estate Industry.

The word “entertainment” has been used quite heavily in connection with malls in the last few years, but what does it mean?