European shopping centre developments: an industry perspective

Purpose - This viewpoint seeks to review the changing environment of shopping spaces in Europe, specifically evaluating factors underpinning development trends. The paper provides a critical overview, staking stock of recent debates in the area of European shopping place development and international retailing. It provides a discussion of themes emerging from the views of expert research-orientated stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach - Themes were drawn from a survey of a group of 11 expert research-orientated European shopping centre stakeholders. Findings - Key suggestions centre around issues associated with: people and lifestyle; planning and economics; environment and design, and globalisation. Two seemingly dichotomous trends are discussed; the increasing cross-border transfer of shopping place forms, and the increasing need for shopping space individualism, identity, integrity and sensitivity to locality. Research limitations/implications - Whilst the authors' recognise that a limited number of experts were consulted the data reveals an important insight into the views of practitioners well-placed to foresee the future. Further investigations can be envisaged which consult a wider range of views. Originality/value - Takes a pan-European perspective in order to analyse both the similarities and variations in shopping place development.