Despite the economic difficulties dictated by the global COVID-19 pandemic, BALFIN Group has not withdrawn from investing in expanding and improving its retail network. JUMBO and SPAR have opened two new stores in the tourist cities of Vlora and Pogradec, being closer to consumers and helping employment in these cities.

Ingka Group has given support and signed up to a new guide raising the bar on climate leadership, ’Climate Leadership Now: The new bar for business action on climate change’, published by the We Mean Business coalition*.

Icon Outlet has revealed its performance figures for the 12-week period post-lockdown, with sales increasing by 30% between the first week and the 12th. Sales have trended from approximately 65% of previous year like-for-like at reopening to around 95% like for like in weeks 11-12. Icon Outlet’s weekly footfall has also doubled since reopening and now stands at 75% of prior year footfall. The latter compares to an average footfall of 59% of pre-Covid levels for the average London High Street according to Springboard*.

Quintain has secured an “extraordinary and unforgettable” taste experience, set to open in a prime location in Wembley Park, London’s newest cultural neighbourhood. Haute Dolci, the luxury dessert operator, has signed to open in a 3,350 sq ft restaurant including a mezzanine, its first location in London.

The festive lighting and decoration solution provider a new range of photo points for the season.

The countdown to the opening of La Torre Outlet Zaragoza has already begun. The “Digital Lighting”, a symbolic act that served as a presentation of the most innovative elements of this commercial project, showed the technological scope of its facilities and virtual environment through an audiovisual opera of audio, video, lighting and social media.

As a result of the course taken by the pandemic, Messe Frankfurt will not be holding any of its own physical trade fairs at the Frankfurt exhibition grounds between January and March 2021. The company is revamping its spring trade fair calendar to focus on new synergies and new digital offerings.

As part of the ambition to advocate for urgent and ambitious climate action and policies, Ingka Group will actively and virtually take part in the UN Climate Action Summit and other high-level events like Climate Week, WEF Sustainable Development Impact Summit from September 21-27, 2020.

World-renowned British toy emporium, Hamleys, has selected Liverpool ONE to launch its latest in-store retail concept at 101 Paradise Street, marking the iconic retailer’s debut in the city.

Dalton Park Outlet Shopping destination in County Durham has built upon its remarkable return to buoyant trading with four new deals this September.

Coniq’s Total Customer Engagement Platform will enable London Designer Outlet to develop and run a world-class data-driven loyalty program.

Hammerson, on behalf of the Dundrum Partnership, has announced that contemporary fashion retailer Folkster is returning to Dundrum Town Centre.

Chapman Taylor, working with Resolute Asset Management and Why Media have been appointed to comprehensively remodel the La Marina Shopping Centre in Finestrat, Alicante for its 20th anniversary year.

GTC Supervisory Board has appointed Mr. Yovav Carmi to the position of the President of the Management Board of GTC.

IKEA believes that home is the most important place in the world. So, in a year like no other, the seventh IKEA Life at Home Report explores how the meaning of this important place has shifted.

NEPI Rockcastle’s portfolio is now 100% operational, as all trading restrictions in the countries where the Group operates have ended.

With a total sales area of 6,500 sq m, Kastner & Öhler opened at Innsbruck’s Kaufhaus Tyrol on September 17, 2020.

Shopping centers and shoppers have a heightened sense of awareness when it comes to safety this year. That’s why indoor-outdoor celebrations are sure to be all the rage this festive season.

The SES-operated shopping center WEBERZEILE located in Ried, Upper Austria, now generates its own environmentally friendly solar power, which is also the case at SES shopping center MURPARK in Graz. Last week, SES Spar European Shopping Centers commenced operation of a 520-kWp photovoltaic rooftop installation, which produces approximately 500,000 kilowatt hours of clean electricity per year for its own use and reduces CO2 emissions by 128 tons. The photovoltaic system installed atop WEBERZEILE is the largest to be mounted by SES to date and is the benchmark for the installation of solar power systems on the roofs of other SES shopping centers throughout Austria.

Ingka Investments, the investment arm of Ingka Group, announces it has acquired the remaining 51% of Traemand, a US based kitchen service company, after previously acquiring 49% of the company in 2018. Traemand is currently a partner to IKEA Retail in Canada, UK and US where it’s integrated in the IKEA kitchen business to simplify the planning and installation process for customers.

BNP Paribas Real Estate Investment Management (REIM) announces the appointment of Nehla Krir as Head of Sustainability and CSR, effective from September 1, 2020. This position was recently created by BNP Paribas REIM in order to support and continue its ambitions in terms of Corporate & Social Responsibility and ESG integration.

Sonae Sierra has been named as the winner of a Bronze Stevie® Award in the “COVID-19 Response Categories”, subcategory, “Most Valuable Corporate Response”, as part of the ®17th Annual International Business Awards .

Top international brands at the centre will include adidas, Björn Borg, GUESS, New Balance, Nike, O’Neil, PUMA, Salomon and The Kooples.