Shopping malls still preferred by Eastern Europeans

Published: June 26th, 2014

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According to the How study, Western European consumers’ interest in high street and smaller shopping centres is increasing, however Eastern European shoppers prefer large centres.

The figures indicate that Czechs, Norwegians, Danes and Swedes place more focus on the retail offers, rather than added activities. Shoppers in Ireland, Italy, Romania, Spain and Turkey focused more on good Wi-Fi, cafes and restaurants – places to meet and spend time with friends.Overall, the most important factor was price, followed by cleanliness, convenience and security. Other important factors are the mix of tenants, parking facilities and personal security.

Access is critical, with Europeans travelling six to 15 minutes to their shopping area. Eastern Europeans travel around 16 to 30 minutes. Europeans shop around 39 times each year, while Czech consumers shop around 30 times per year. Younger people look for social aspects, but are not really concerned by parking facilities. Renovated centres attract more shoppers and the categories of shops most visited are fashion, entertainment and convenience. Well balanced centre sizes are vital implying that small centres have more potential.