The retail market in Poland continues to grow, supported by stable macroeconomic fundamentals. Developer and tenant activity remains high, according to CBRE data. In the first quarter of 2026, the retail sector attracted nearly one-third of the total value of investment in commercial real estate. Market growth is being supported by consumers’ strong willingness to spend. According to Oxford Economics forecasts, Polish consumer spending is expected to increase by 3.3% year on year in 2026, placing Poland second in Europe, behind Hungary.
In the first quarter of 2026 alone, nearly EUR 320 million was invested in the retail sector, representing 31% of the total volume allocated to commercial real estate. Developers’ plans for the coming months remain ambitious — more than 1 million sq m of retail space may be added in total this year and next.
“Rising consumer spending and ambitious expansion plans by retail tenants are translating into developer activity. According to current plans, around 650,000 sq m of new retail space is expected to be delivered to the market in 2026 alone. We are also seeing an increasingly clear shift towards quality. This trend is already very visible in shopping centres and is gradually strengthening in retail parks as well,” says Anna Wysocka, Head of Retail at CBRE.
Retail Parks Keep Expanding, While Shopping Centres Focus on Quality
Retail parks remain the dominant investment format, accounting for 92% of the space currently under construction. Importantly, development is not limited only to small convenience formats. Larger projects are also being delivered, with 13 schemes exceeding 15,000 sq m.
Despite the strong concentration of new investment around retail parks, shopping centres continue to maintain a solid market position. Their owners are actively managing their assets, particularly through repositioning, ESG initiatives and adjusting their offer to the changing needs of consumers and retail operators. Shopping centre owners are developing their tenant mix mainly in food and beverage, fashion and entertainment.
Consumption Keeps the Market Highly Active
With inflation close to the target level — 3.2% year on year in April — and consumer spending forecast by Oxford Economics to grow by 3.3% in 2026, Poland remains one of the fastest-growing consumer markets in Europe. Only Hungary is expected to grow faster, at 3.4%, while the Czech Republic and Spain rank third, both at 2.9%. Norway completes the top five.
“Poland remains one of the strongest consumer growth markets in Europe today. In addition, thanks to favourable macroeconomic conditions, our country is still seen by new brands as an attractive entry market, particularly in the fashion, sports and food and beverage segments. One of the latest debuts is the apparel brand Lululemon, which opened its first store in Poland at Westfield Arkadia in Warsaw,” adds Anna Wysocka from CBRE.
