Consumer criticism of shopping centers is nothing new, states Ken Gunn, Managing Director of Ken Gunn Consulting. As a retail business consultant, advising investors and asset managers, he has reported survey-based dissatisfaction with the proposition, branding, and management of shopping centers for 30 years.

Why has our industry been so willing to settle for boring? Asks Cindy Andersen, Managing Director at Ingka Centres. The endless rows of identical stores, the predictability of a food court’s menu, the steady drone of escalators… These conventions have been the traditional hallmarks of shopping center decline for decades. To stay relevant, we must evolve as an industry.

It is a complex task to ensure project profitability. There is a struggle between doing what is right and what is reasonable. “However, in an ever-growing and competitive landscape, it is crucial to establish distinguishing factors that are recognizable and to embrace them wholeheartedly,” states Will Odwarka, Founder and CEO of Dubai-based firm Heartatwork Hospitality Consulting.

The labor market situation in the European retail sector has continued to worsen. Meanwhile, companies are under increasing financial pressure, consumer sentiment is declining, and online retail is gaining strength, explains Manuela Lindlbauer, Owner of Lindlpower Personalmanagement. A perfectly legitimate question remains: Why would anyone consider a job in retail today? Urgent solutions are needed when it comes to HR policy in retail, or are AI and robotics the answer?

For a major international player like Kaufland, maximum customer orientation means continuously increasing the efficiency of the shopping experience for customers who know what they want and providing support to customers who are undecided – and creating physical and digital spaces in which to meet and exchange ideas. Angelus Bernreuther, Head of IR at Kaufland Stiftung & Co. KG, explains how Kaufland uses technology to personalize its stores and individually address customers.

Shopping center investors and managers are increasingly concerned about the role of their assets, the value and experience they deliver, and how they can resonate in a digital age, argues James Miller, Director of Pragma. Therefore, the overriding focus for shopping centers in 2024, continues to be renewal and adaptation on the basis of accurate consumer research and insights.

The placemaking industry is increasingly realizing that established retail business models and their 1:1 replication across multiple locations are no longer effective. Rising digitalization, climate change, post-pandemic effects, and political and economic instabilities are leading to societal changes that profoundly manifest in altered consumer behavior, explains Oliver Zügel, Chairman GALLUP Swiss & Board Member at evAI.