During RAU Expo 2025, the director of UTG, Yevgenia Loktionova, shared analytics on the resilience of different formats of shopping and entertainment centers (SEC) during the war in Ukraine. According to her, the current footfall in regional shopping centers is 315 people per 1,000 square meters, while district SECs show a significantly higher figure – an average of 552 people. Regional facilities have an area of over 50,000 square meters, while district centers mostly cover 20,000–30,000 square meters.
This is reported by Finway
Vacancy rates in Kyiv’s retail spaces are decreasing
In the fourth year of the full-scale war, the average vacancy rate in Kyiv’s shopping centers stands at 13%. This is a significant improvement compared to the period from February to May 2022, when this figure fluctuated between 17% and 21%. However, regional SECs remain in the least favorable position, with a vacancy rate reaching 16%. The situation is much better for district centers – on average, only 6% of the space remains vacant.
Factors contributing to the resilience of district SECs
Yevgenia Loktionova emphasized that district shopping centers are distinguished not only by high accessibility but also by effective adaptation to wartime conditions. The success of such facilities is ensured not so much by a wide assortment as by a large selection of services and goods that meet the needs of local residents.
“The main focus is not on the assortment, but on providing as wide a range of services and goods as possible.”
Over the past year and a half, rental rates in SECs have recovered to pre-war levels. In Kyiv, the average rental cost is $32 per 100 square meters. The highest income for landlords comes from grocery stores, electronics shops, and pharmacies.