he image of German shopping centers is essentially shaped by the same large retail chains. Around a quarter of the 28,700 shops in the 509 German shopping centers are operated by 50 large chains such as Deichmann, H&M or Douglas, according to the “Shopping Center Report 2023” presented by the Cologne retail research institute EHI on Tuesday. The shoe retailer Deichmann with 282 shops can be found most frequently. The textile chain Ernsting’s Family and the mobile phone provider O2 Telefónica follow in second and third place.
“Well-known chain stores are the pillars in the tenant mix of most shopping centers,” said study author Lena Knopf. “They contribute to the attractiveness of a center and ensure frequency.” On the other hand, the omnipresence of certain brands also leads to a certain uniformity.
According to the EHI, the top 50 tenants together have 7,239 branches in German shopping centers. That corresponds to a quarter of the available shops. According to this, a good 46 percent of the tenancies are attributable to sales lines with a maximum of 15 center branches. These are often gastronomic establishments such as cafés, snack bars or restaurants, but also services such as hairdressers, nail salons or travel agencies.
According to the EHI, the 50 largest tenants in shopping centers are mainly textile suppliers such as H&M, Hunkemöller, Only, New Yorker, C&A or Bonita. The health and personal care, technology and accessories sectors follow at a clear distance. The top 50 tenants also include three catering establishments, McDonald’s, Nordsee and Subway, which together have 369 branches. (dpa)