Italy is the most attractive country for retailers, and Russia is in third place

According to a new CBRE study, “How Active are Retail Chains in Europe, the Middle East and Africa?”, About a third of surveyed international retailers plan to open more than five stores by the end of 2012 in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

For the first time, Italy became the most attractive market for retail, rising from eighth place in the ranking of last year. Italy, followed by Germany, Russia, Spain and France, making the top five countries in which more than 30% of the companies surveyed plan to develop. Russia climbed from sixth to third, according to CBRE, “due to a strong economy and forecasts of rising consumer spending.”

Interest in the Middle Eastern countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar, has significantly increased - more than 15% of retailers are considering these countries for expansion in 2012. A high level of income of the population, a more stable economy than in Europe and a relatively low percentage of international presence in the region brands - all these factors attract companies.

More than half of the firms surveyed (52%) intend to open stores in new cities, but only in those countries where they are already present. A similar situation was observed last year. “Retailers in 2011 faced with a much more difficult situation in the consumer market than expected approach the development issue very carefully, which is right in this situation,” says Peter Gold, head of CBRE's international retail property department. Nevertheless, almost a third of retailers (30%) intend to enter new markets in 2012.

The most active retailers in the Value & Denim sector (clothing discounters, denim clothing). They plan to open an average of 36 stores in 2012 (30 stores last year). Faced with declining income levels, many consumers have begun to move to lower price points, Gold explains. The luxury segment also feels comfortable - companies in the Luxury & Business Fashion sector plan to open an average of 15 stores in 2012, which is slightly more than in the past.

In Russia, the total volume of foreign investment in the trade sector since the beginning of the year amounted to 764,5 million euros. “This segment is still underrepresented in the Russian investment market,” said Konstantin Lysenko, director of investment services at CBRE. Following the results of the III quarter of 2011, 2,3 billion euros were invested in German retail. In the UK - 1,78 billion euros. This was reported by the newspaper "Vedomosti".