The Polish Council of Shopping Centres (PRCH) has presented data on shopping centre performance in March 2026, as well as a summary of the first quarter of 2026. The figures point to a strong start to the year for the sector. In March, turnover increased by 4.1% and footfall by 3.4% year on year. On a quarterly basis, comparing Q1 2026 with Q1 2025, turnover rose by 4.3%, while footfall increased by 1.3%.
The reliability of the data is ensured by the methodology of PRCH indices, which are based on actual tenant turnover reported to shopping centre managers and visitor counts measured using 3D cameras operating with accuracy of more than 95%. The data comes from a representative number of retail facilities with a combined area of around 5 million sqm, representing 34% of the market.
In March 2026, the turnover index increased by 4.1%, while footfall rose by 3.4% year on year. The average value of a visit increased by 0.7%. The results were positively influenced by, among other factors, one additional trading day — a trading Sunday before Easter — and the approaching Easter holidays, which fell at the beginning of April. Customers were already visiting shopping centres more intensively at the end of March for pre-holiday shopping, as confirmed by the strong performance of the grocery category.
Categories with the Highest Year-on-Year Turnover Growth in March 2026
| Category | Turnover growth |
|---|---|
| Specialist goods | +7.0% |
| Groceries | +6.7% |
| Health and beauty | +6.7% |
| Restaurants and cafés | +5.4% |
On a quarterly basis, turnover increased by 4.3% and footfall by 1.3% compared with Q1 2025. The average value of a shopping centre visit rose by 3.0%. The first quarter of the year therefore proved very successful for the shopping centre industry. In addition to the factors mentioned above, the snowy winter is also worth noting, as it extended and strengthened demand for clothing and accessories.
Categories with the Highest Year-on-Year Turnover Growth in Q1 2026
| Category | Turnover growth |
|---|---|
| Services | +7.8% |
| Restaurants and cafés | +6.6% |
| Entertainment | +5.8% |
| Health and beauty | +5.7% |
By size of retail facility, turnover and footfall in Q1 2026 were as follows:
| Retail facility category by GLA | Turnover | Footfall |
|---|---|---|
| Very large facilities, over 60,000 sqm | +5.2% | +1.4% |
| Large facilities, 40,000–60,000 sqm | +3.7% | +0.9% |
| Medium-sized facilities, 20,000–40,000 sqm | +2.5% | +1.7% |
| Small and very small facilities, 5,000–20,000 sqm | +7.3% | +0.3% |
Regionally, the highest turnover growth in Q1 2026 was recorded in the central region, covering Mazowieckie and Łódzkie; the eastern region, covering Podkarpackie, Lubelskie, Podlaskie and Świętokrzyskie; and the north-western region, covering Wielkopolskie, Zachodniopomorskie and Lubuskie. At the agglomeration level, Białystok, Poznań and Katowice stood out.
“The first quarter of 2026 confirms that brick-and-mortar retail in the shopping centre channel is in good condition. Since April last year, turnover in retail facilities has been higher every month — with the exception of November — than in the corresponding month of the previous year, while footfall has remained stable. This proves that the industry continues to enjoy customer trust. Customers remain attached to shopping in shopping centres and, what is more, they more often arrive with a specific purchasing intention. A stable trend is also the strong growth dynamics in the services, foodservice and entertainment categories. Customers are looking to satisfy needs that go beyond typical shopping, and shopping centres are successfully enabling them to do so,” said Bogda Korolczuk, Managing Director of PRCH.
Polish Council of Shopping Centres
The Polish Council of Shopping Centres (PRCH) is a nationwide industry organisation operating since 2003, bringing together entities connected with the retail real estate market. Its members include owners and managers of shopping centres, developers, investors and companies providing services to the retail sector.
The mission of the Polish Council of Shopping Centres is to represent the interests of the shopping centre industry and its members, integrate them and create a platform for dialogue both within the industry and with external stakeholders, including organisations, institutions and public authorities.
Source: CEO.com.pl
