Despite economic challenges, the mall has maintained its stability, increased its traffic and visitor numbers, and through infrastructure development, reduced its energy consumption.
The retail sector was hit hard in 2022. For the Pólus Center, it was a challenging period determined by global economic processes such as the energy crisis, strong inflationary effects, rising fuel and utility prices, and increased economic uncertainty, which led to a decrease in household purchasing power. The past six months of recession had a significant impact on the commercial sector, but the dramatic decline in consumption predicted by economic experts did not occur. In response to these new challenges, shopping centers need to re-evaluate their strategies to reach their target audience.
In 2022, the Pólus Center performed positively, with a 10% increase in visitor numbers and a 25% increase in turnover compared to the previous year. Its rental occupancy rate of over 96% is outstanding in the industry.
The competitiveness of shopping centers is determined, among other things, by modern energy strategies. Thanks to energy modernization efforts over the past five years, the mall's gas consumption has decreased by 53%, and its electricity usage has decreased by 30% by the end of 2022.
The owner of the Pólus Center, CPI Property Group, recognized the need for diverse utilization of time spent in the mall, the importance of experiential shopping, and therefore created several communal spaces for visitors last year. The Pólus Trust Library, cozy coworking office, and Chill Zone playroom for children are all hugely popular.
The shopping center anticipates that the predicted economic recession for 2023 will not hinder its strong industry position, and they expect further growth in turnover. According to their rental strategy, new stores are expected to open.