small retailers benefit from large shopping centres

European Propeerty, 2 February, 2011

Shopping centres give boost to small retailers

Europe - Small and independent retailers across Europe benefit from greater access to shoppers and increased footfall when they operate within shopping centres, according to Peter Wilhelm, International Council of Shopping Centres (ICSC) Europe Public Affairs Committee representative speaking within the European Parliament last week.

Shopping centres bring a balanced retail mix to consumers and support urban regeneration, he said. They are not the enemy of small retailers.

Mr Wilhelm said: “There are an important number of small and independent retailers trading within shopping centres and they do so because of the increased footfall and opportunity to build their brand in an attractive, well-managed centre. Shopping centre asset managers welcome these retailers as they help to make a shopping centre’s offer more diverse and attractive.”

Peter Wilhelm, also CEO of Belgium retail development company Wilhelm and Co, was speaking on behalf of the retail property and shopping centre industry at an Internal Market Committee round table debate on the EU retail market within the European Parliament.

The debate looked at the barriers to fair and efficient retail markets for consumers and businesses and gave stakeholders the opportunity to debate with members of the European Parliament in order to feed into a new report Swedish centre-right MEP Mrs Corazza Bildt is drafting on the issue.

Mr Wilhelm advocated for the removal of unfair barriers to retail development and for a better understanding of the significant commercial, economic and employment benefits retail developments bring to local communities.

Four themed panel sessions at the debate looked at issues such as contractual relationships in the supply chain, market access and barriers to competition, sustainable retail practices and free movement of goods. Participants included retail organisations, small business champions, consumer groups, producers of branded goods and food producers as well as the representatives of retail property. The debate raised questions about the interactions between small and large retailers, fairness between retailers and producers (abuse of dominant position, own-brands) and barriers to competition such as restrictions on establishment and discriminatory protectionist legislation.