In the first half of 2026, ECE recorded positive leasing results for the shopping centres it manages. In total, more than 350,000 square metres of space were newly leased in the first two quarters. This resulted in approximately 1,250 concluded lease agreements. In Germany alone, over 250,000 square metres and about 850 lease agreements were accounted for.
Successful lettings and new concepts
The successfully leased areas include contracts with established retail companies such as New Yorker, TK Maxx, H&M, as well as the Bestseller and Inditex groups. In addition, international expansion concepts such as Xiaomi, Miniso and Lager 157 were also secured as new tenants. These successes reflect the appeal of the centres managed by ECE for a broad spectrum of tenants, from established brands to aspiring international players.
Joanna Fisher, CEO of ECE Marketplaces, expressed satisfaction with the development: “We have very successfully driven forward the leasing in our shopping centres in the first half of the year,” she explained. She clearly highlighted four current trends that are creating dynamism in the retail market and especially in the ECE centres.
Trends in retail
According to Fisher, these trends include the growth and cross-border expansion of international retail concepts such as Lager 157, Uouorose or Miniso. Furthermore, the successful development of non-food discount concepts such as Action, Woolworth or Normal can be observed. Another important factor is the appeal of emerging catering concepts, with Honest Kebap or Cookie Couture named as examples. Finally, Fisher mentioned the exciting market entries of strong brands, such as the Max Mara Group with Intrend or the Bestseller Group with the new concept JJXX.
- —Growth and expansion of international concepts
- —Successful non-food discount concepts
- —Appeal of new catering offerings
- —Market entries by established brands with new formats
