Shopping centres in Poland recorded a decline in both turnover and footfall in April 2026 compared with the same month of the previous year, according to data from the Polish Council of Shopping Centres. Turnover was down 6.6% year on year, while footfall fell by 5.6%. According to the PRCH, the main reason for the weaker result was the calendar effect, including the earlier date of Easter and a lower number of trading days.
April interrupted a period of turnover growth that shopping centres had recorded almost continuously over the previous twelve months. The organisation stresses, however, that the decline should be analysed primarily in the context of the shift in Easter shopping. In 2025, Easter fell on 20 April, while in 2026 it was celebrated as early as 5 April. This means that a significant part of pre-Easter shopping took place in March.
This is confirmed by data for the previous month. In March 2026, shopping centre turnover increased by 4.1% year on year, while footfall was 3.4% higher. In April, the comparative base was therefore elevated by last year’s Easter shopping, while this year’s seasonal effect was concentrated to a greater extent in March.
Fewer Trading Days and Weaker Customer Traffic
April’s results were also affected by a lower number of trading days. In April 2026, consumers had one fewer trading day available than a year earlier. The PRCH also points to the difference in the number of trading Sundays. In April 2025, there were two such Sundays, while in April 2026 there was only one.
Lower footfall translated into a decline in turnover in most of the analysed categories. The exception was the “Health and Beauty” category, where sales increased by 2.9% year on year. This shows that despite the overall deterioration in results, some segments maintained positive momentum.
In regional terms and in the largest agglomerations, turnover was lower than a year earlier. According to the PRCH, this means that the decline was nationwide and did not result from the specific situation of individual local markets.
Medium-Sized Centres Recorded the Largest Turnover Declines
By shopping centre size, the weakest turnover result was recorded by medium-sized schemes, meaning centres with gross leasable area of between 20,000 and 40,000 square metres. In this group, turnover fell by 7.2% year on year, with footfall down 4.9%.
In very large centres, with an area of more than 60,000 square metres, turnover was 6.5% lower, while footfall declined by 5.3%. A similar fall in turnover, also 6.5%, was recorded by large centres with an area of between 40,000 and 60,000 square metres. In their case, footfall decreased by 6.5%.
In small and very small centres, with an area of between 5,000 and 20,000 square metres, turnover increased by 6.5%, even though footfall fell by 6.9%. This may indicate a higher average shopping basket in this group of facilities or a different tenant structure.
Consumers Are More Cautious About Spending
The PRCH notes that, in addition to the calendar effect, consumers’ purchasing decisions were also influenced by the broader economic environment. The factors mentioned include heightened international uncertainty, fuel prices, higher inflation and weaker wage growth dynamics.
The weather may also have played a role. Cooler days limited the shopping impulse connected with changing wardrobes for the spring season. For shopping centres, where clothing and footwear stores generate a large share of sales, weather conditions can have a clear impact on short-term results.
“The footfall and turnover results in shopping centres in April should be viewed in the context of the calendar. Easter fell on 5 April this year — two weeks earlier than in 2025 — which shifted part of the holiday shopping to March. In addition, there was only one trading Sunday compared with two in the same month last year. The weather also played a role, as cooler days slowed the seasonal wardrobe change,” said Bogda Korolczuk, Managing Director of the PRCH.
She added that consumer behaviour is also being shaped by macroeconomic factors, including fuel prices, inflation and the overall level of uncertainty. In the coming months, it will therefore be important to see whether consumer sentiment and confidence in the economic situation improve.
A Decline After a Stronger March
April’s data do not necessarily indicate a lasting reversal of the trend in shopping centres. The weaker result should be viewed alongside the March increase, which partly absorbed this year’s Easter shopping effect. In March, turnover was 4.1% higher year on year, while footfall increased by 3.4%.
Only data for the coming months will show whether the April decline was mainly the result of the calendar or the beginning of more cautious consumer behaviour. For now, PRCH data indicate that the weaker result was broad-based, but its causes were largely one-off and linked to the timing of Easter and the distribution of trading days.
Source: managerplus.pl
