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ACROSS

Sustainability

Credits: Nedderfeld Center and kplus konzept

HBB Takes Over Management for Two Deka Centers in Hamburg and Trier

Deka Immobilien has appointed HBB Centermanagement GmbH & Co. KG to handle center management, including commercial and technical property management as well as leasing management, for two of its shopping centers: the Nedderfeld Center in Hamburg and the Alleen Center in Trier. The handover will take place on January 1, 2026.

credit: Eurofund

EXPERIENCE BEATS SPACE: THE NEW DRIVERS OF RETAIL REAL ESTATE

Square meters no longer define success in retail real estate, experience does. As consumer expectations shift from “places to shop” to “destinations worth visiting,” landlords must evolve into curators of ecosystems that blend retail, dining, leisure, sustainability, and digital innovation. From Lisbon’s UBBO shopping resort to Glasgow’s Silverburn community hub, Eurofund Group shows how future-proof assets are built: not by leasing space, but by creating experiences that make brands thrive, communities engage, and investments soar.

credit: Kaufland

CLOSING THE LOOP: HOW KAUFLAND TURNS TRASH INTO TOMORROW’S STORE

From yellow bins in Baden-Württemberg to Kaufland’s construction sites: the Schwarz Group is proving how waste can become a valuable resource. By applying cradle-to-cradle principles, the retailer is turning recyclables into building materials and redefining what sustainability in construction means.

credit: NEPI Rockcastle

LANDLORDS CAN DO THE HEAVY LIFTING TO HELP RETAILERS REACH THEIR CLIMATE GOALS

While Central and Eastern Europe are experiencing rapid economic growth, the energy transition is still in its infancy. NEPI Rockcastle, the region’s retail real estate leader, is taking unprecedented steps to meet nearly half of its electricity needs via solar power by 2026. With a €110 million investment program stretching from Romania to Poland, the company is not only supporting the sustainability of its tenants but is also reshaping the CEE energy landscape itself. In a sector in which climate targets often lag behind, NEPI Rockcastle is proving that green retail is not only possible but also profitable.

credit: Fiba

“WHEN TENANTS THRIVE, ASSETS GROW”

In an era in which consumer expectations are evolving faster than ever, Fiba Commercial Properties is reimagining retail spaces as dynamic ecosystems of experience, technology, and tenant success. In his exclusive ACROSS Magazine statement, CEO Yurdaer Kahraman outlines a bold vision, from Star Mall’s immersive gastronomy zones in China to AI-powered platforms in Turkey, proving that when tenants thrive, assets don’t just grow, they transform.

credit: Ingka Centres

The Power of Collaboration

In a world that’s becoming increasingly digital Ingka Centres believes the future lies in real-world connection. Through a bold mix of play, purpose, and partnership, Ingka Centres is transforming retail destinations into inclusive, experience-driven Meeting Places.

credit: Mitja Kobal/CC Real

CC REAL: FROM A CONSTRUCTION SITE CONTAINER IN ZAGREB TO AN INTERNATIONAL PLAYER IN RETAIL REAL ESTATE

The Vienna-based company CC Real is today among the most significant, albeit so far relatively low-profile, players in the European retail real estate market. In an interview with ACROSS, founders Fabian Kaufmann and Sven Vorih, describe the journey from their beginnings in Croatia to their current expansion strategies in Europe and Australia. The discussion covers experiences in times of crisis, strategic partnerships, refurbishment successes, and the question of why CC Real still firmly believes in the future of retail.

credit: ECE

„CHANGE IS IN OUR DNA”

Innovation and the safeguarding of future success require conviction and values – ECE celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2025. This is more than just an anniversary: It is a commitment to continuous change and responsible business practices. ECE Marketplaces CEO Joanna Fisher, who has been with the company for nearly three decades, discusses the power of putting values into practice, her own journey from a working student to a top manager, and how true innovation can only be achieved through integrity and clarity.

CEO PERSPECTIVES 2025: WHEN THE TENANT THRIVERS, THE ASSET FLIES

“When the tenant thrives, the asset survives” is an old saying in retail real estate leasing management. But survival is only the baseline – the ambition must go further. Not just to “survive” – the asset should “fly.” But what will it take in 2025 for an asset to take off? For this cover story, we asked leading figures in the European retail real estate sector what they see as the most significant current challenges, as well as the solutions needed, for retail assets not just to survive but to prosper.

The Final Chapter of the European Shopping Places Trust: A Legacy of Education, Research, and Empowerment

In 2025, after more than a quarter of a century of dedicated service to Europe’s retail real estate community, the European Shopping Places Trust (ESPT) will close its books. For the professionals, students, researchers, and industry leaders touched by its work, this moment is less an ending than a milestone. This is a chance to reflect on what has been achieved and the legacy that will endure.

credit: Expo Real

Expo Real Carves Out More Space for Retail Real Estate at New Hall B3

At the upcoming Expo Real 2025 in Munich (October 6–8), retail real estate takes center stage: a redesigned layout in Hall B3 promises better visibility and connectivity, while keynote addresses and panel talks—including a session on AI‑powered customer loyalty—underscore the industry’s forward-looking agenda.

credit: Stratosferica

Urban Optimism in Action: The Utopian Hours Festival in Turin, October 17-19, 2025

ACROSS Magazine speaks with Giacomo Biraghi, co-founder of Stratosferica and one of the driving forces behind the Utopian Hours festival, a one-of-a-kind international gathering in Turin that reframes how cities are celebrated, studied, and shaped. In this interview, Biraghi discusses the ethos behind the event, its approach to urbanism, the evolving role of retail real estate, and how Turin is benefitting directly from this growing global platform.

credit: MK ILLUMINATION

BETWEEN DISCOUNT AND LUXURY: WHY RETAIL DESTINATIONS NOW DEPEND ON EMOTION – AND HOW LIGHT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE

The retail world is undergoing radical realignment. Discounters thrive through efficiency. Luxury brands shine with immersive storytelling. In between, the middle market is eroding. Locations that don’t tell a compelling story are losing relevance. MK Illumination sees this polarization not as a crisis, but as a creative opportunity. Where emotion enters the equation, value returns – and light is the most powerful medium for creating that emotional connection.

credit: umdasch

Digital, local, sustainable: the new DNA of travel retail

Travel retail is an industry in transition, driven by a resurgence in travel activity, new consumer expectations, technological innovations, and a growing demand for sustainable concepts. Michael Ripfl, Sales Director for Nordics & Travel Retail at umdasch The Store Makers, provides an in-depth insight into current developments, long-term trends, and specific project examples. It becomes clear that what once began as the “sale of spirits and tobacco” has now evolved into a complex interplay of retailtainment, locality, and an innovative customer approach.

credit: SES

“RETAIL’S CORE FUNCTION IS CURATION”

The demands placed on brick-and-mortar retailers have intensified significantly: Experiences, clear positioning, and top-quality levels are no longer optional, but mandatory. “Only those who provide a sense of clarity stand a chance of survival.” Christoph Andexlinger, CEO of SES Spar European Shopping Centers, speaks with ACROSS about the realignment of traditional shopping centers, the power of regional retailers, and why mid-range segment retailers will only have a future, if they are uncomprisingly clearly positioned.

credit: Wien Energie/URW

URW building Austria’s largest EV Charging hub

Westfield Shopping City Süd and Westfield Donau Zentrum have signed a cooperation agreement with Wien Energie to develop and operate a total of 300 electric vehicle (EV) charging points across both shopping centers. The collaboration marks a major step toward advancing sustainable mobility goals set by parent company Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW).

SOLAL AWARDS 2025 WINNERS ANNOUNCED AT AN INNOVATIVE GALA EVENT IN WARSAW

The winners of the 2025 Solal Marketing Awards were announced at an outstanding gala event at fashionable leisure venue Fabryka Norblina in Warsaw. The live event was the first celebration of the most effective and innovative marketing campaigns in the shopping center industry since the pandemic. A record-number of entries in eleven distinct categories were received, with finalists joining the event from countries right across Europe, Canada and South Africa.

NO ROOM FOR MEDIOCRITY: HOW RETAIL POLARIZATION IS RESHAPING THE SHOPPING LANDSCAPE

A quiet but profound shift is transforming the retail industry across Europe: while luxury and discount segments thrive, many mid-tier retailers—once considered the backbone of the high street and shopping centers—are struggling to stay afloat. This growing polarization is not merely a passing trend; it is a structural shift that reflects changing consumer behaviors, economic realities, and the need for clear market positioning. But if you take a closer look, you will see that it is not the middle that is dying, but only mediocrity. What is emerging is a new middle ground between luxury and discount, determined by one thing alone: relevance.

credit: IPH/BBE

THE “MID-RANGE SEGMENT” AS SUCH IS NOT DYING – BUT “MEDIOCRITY” IS

Consumer behavior is changing: Price awareness meets experience, and higher quality is in demand. Between premium concepts that offer high levels of experience and the successful formats found in the discount sector, there is less and less room for what has long been known as the “mid-range segment”. ACROSS spoke to Lars Jähnichen, Managing Director of the IPH Gruppe, and Dr. Johannes Berentzen, Managing Director of BBE Handelsberatung, about the causes, effects, and opportunities associated with this development – with a focus on consumer behavior, space requirements, and the impact on locations and the real estate industry.

CEO PERSPECTIVES 2025 – When the Tenant Thrives, the Asset Flies
What will it take in 2025 for an asset to take off? For this special, we asked leading figures in the European retail real estate sector what they see as the most significant current challenges, as well as the solutions needed, for retail assets not just to survive but to prosper.
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