A steady return to the gallery

The situation in the Polish retail sector has been extremely dynamic over the last few years. The pandemic has led to a significant drop in footfall in shopping centres. However, an analysis of the four waves of the Inquiry survey, conducted from February 2020 (before the pandemic) to December 2024, shows that this market is proving highly resilient, with footfall gradually recovering.

Shopping centres remain the most popular retail venues in Poland, cited by 75% of respondents.

Recovery in footfall: Average visitor numbers are rising, but retail space is expanding

Despite an initial sharp decline, footfall in shopping centres has been gradually recovering year on year. This trend follows a significant drop in average visitor numbers recorded in 2021.

• In 2024, the average number of visits per month was 3.34.

• By way of comparison, in 2020 (pre-Covid) this average stood at 3.64, whilst in 2021 and 2023 it hovered around 3.24–3.26. This increase indicates a gradual return of customers.

It should be borne in mind, however, that the increase in retail space across the country means that the recovery in footfall is spread across a greater number of premises.

Furthermore, in 2024, 63% of Poles who visit shopping centres said they had been there within the past week.

Customers visit the centres regularly, but without being exclusively loyal

An analysis of visit frequency shows that, for most Poles, shopping centres are a regular stop on their shopping itinerary:

• 61% of respondents say they visit shopping centres two to four times a month (categories: ‘2–3 times a week’, ‘about once a week’ and ‘2–3 times a month’).
• Despite this regularity, one in three people (around 33%) visit shopping centres less frequently, ranging from ‘once every two to three months’ to ‘once every six months’.

The survey data also indicate a low level of customer loyalty to individual venues.

• Only one in five people (20%) have a favourite shopping centre that they visit most often.
• Almost half of customers (46% in 2024) visit two different venues.
• One in four respondents (24% in 2024) say they visit three shopping centres.

Summary

Shopping centres are successfully regaining their footing following the shocks of the pandemic and inflation, remaining the most popular retail format. The increase in the average number of visits per month indicates stabilisation and a return to pre-pandemic habits. However, low levels of loyalty and the high frequency of visits to multiple venues (an average of 2.2 different centres in 2024) suggests that centres must compete not only for the frequency of visits, but also to become the customer’s ‘favourite’ destination.

Looking at this trend, it can be compared to the situation in a forest after a major storm: although some paths have been destroyed (the drop in traffic during the pandemic), the main road has now been resurfaced (the recovery in traffic). However, there are now more junctions on this road (an increase in retail space), and travellers (customers) are keen to use them, meaning that no single route owner can count on exclusive loyalty.