Romania has the second-largest modern retail stock in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) after Poland, yet remains the region’s least dense market per capita, according to a Cushman & Wakefield Echinox report published for Q4 2025. Developers are continuing to expand, with projects totaling more than 750,000 sqm planned or under construction through 2029.
If completed, the pipeline would lift Romania’s retail stock above 5.6 million sqm from the current 4.8 million sqm.
Around 22% of future supply targets Bucharest, while most new projects are planned in major regional cities including Cluj-Napoca, Brașov, and Iași, along with smaller markets such as Bacău, Reșița, Sibiu, Galați, Giurgiu, and Tulcea.
NEPI Rockcastle, Iulius Group – Atterbury Europe, MAS RE – Prime Kapital, M Core, and Scallier remain among the most active developers, the same report said.
The total 2025 new supply reached 208,000 sqm, a volume 16% above that of the corresponding one for 2024 and one of the highest ever in Romania. A total of 10 projects were completed last year, including new schemes and extensions of existing properties, in Bucharest, Iași, Suceava, Arad, Ploiești, Hunedoara, Curtea de Argeș, Orǎștie, Sibiu, and Cisnǎdie.
The largest retail project delivered in 2025 was the 125,700 sqm Mall Moldova in Iași, followed by Agora Mall Arad and the extension of Iulius Mall Suceava. Bucharest also added about 4,000 sqm of luxury retail space with the opening of TOFF Galleries at Știrbei Palace.
Despite the expansion, Romania has only 252 sqm of modern retail space per 1,000 inhabitants, compared with 435 in Slovakia, 365 in the Czech Republic, 359 in Poland, and 326 in Hungary.
Prime high-street rents on Bucharest’s Calea Victoriei rose 33% year-on-year to about EUR 80 per sqm per month, while dominant shopping centres charge between EUR 50 and EUR 90.
irina.marica@romania-insider.com
(Photo source: Viorel Dudau/Dreamstime.com)
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