The European retail sector faced a cooling period in February 2026, with the latest Eurostat data revealing a divergence between a stabilising Union and a sharply declining Romanian market.
Meta Estate Trust has announced the development of a new commercial asset in Vânători commune, Galați County, based on a 15-year lease agreement with Penny, part of the German Rewe group.
Auchan Romania is consolidating its transition to green energy, accelerating the integration of renewable sources in its operations.
Bucharest is emerging as a key luxury retail destination in CEE, supported by rising purchasing power, growing tourism (over one million foreign tourists spent at least one night in the capital in 2025), and consolidation of prime high street locations, according to Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.
Iulius and Atterbury Europe have begun construction on Rivus Cluj-Napoca, Romania's largest urban reconversion real estate development.
Romanians are spending more on cinema experiences as economic pressures drive a shift towards leisure-oriented consumption. Cinema revenues reached approximately €63 million in 2025, up 16% compared to 2024 and around 10% above pre-pandemic levels, according to Colliers data.
Romania's eCommerce market reached approximately €8.1 billion in 2025 and could exceed €8.5 billion in 2026. However, growth is entering a more competitive phase than in previous years, according to a report by MerchantPro.
Romania's Competition Council is analyzing the transaction through which Pavăl Holding, controlled by the Pavăl brothers, intends to acquire the Carrefour group in Romania.
Lidl Romania continues to invest in the country and announces for the financial year 2026 (1 March 2026 – 28 February 2027) an expansion plan of over €285 million.
AFI Romania has announced that all four buildings within the AFI Arad retail park have achieved LEED Gold certification. The certified buildings include AFI Arad Strip Mall, AFI Arad McDonald's, AFI Arad Leroy Merlin and AFI Arad Shopping Gallery.
Romania's retail sales volume (excluding automotive and motorcycle trade) dropped 9.1% year-on-year in January 2026 in gross terms, and 6.5% when adjusted for working days and seasonality, according to data released by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).
Romania's green certification market remained active in 2025, with over 4.6 million sqm of real estate space receiving sustainability credentials despite European changes to reporting obligations.
IGD – Immobiliare Grande Distribuzione has completed the sale of an asset in Turda through its subsidiary Win Magazin.
Shopping centres outside Bucharest were the most attractive real estate asset class for investors in 2025, accounting for almost 40% of the total transaction volume, according a new report by Cushman & Wakefield Echinox. Bucharest office buildings came second, with a 30% share in the total investment volume.
CPI Romania concluded 2025 by strengthening its position as a key player on the Romanian real estate market, with a portfolio of 280,000 sqm of modern office space, representing 8% of Bucharest's modern stock. The shopping centres in the company's portfolio recorded an occupancy rate of 98%, while Sun Plaza Bucharest launched a remodelling process.
CEC Bank has provided €36 million financing to Veranda Obor, owner of Veranda Mall shopping centre. The facility will refinance existing exposure, support development plans and enable capital distributions to shareholders.
NEPI Rockcastle, the largest owner of shopping centres in CEE, said its net operating income rose 11.2% year-on-year to a record €618 million in 2025, while the distributable earnings increased 6.7% to €441 million.
In a video interview recorded at CEE Property Forum 2025 in Vienna, Marek Noetzel, COO of NEPI Rockcastle and incoming CEO from April 2026, shares his outlook on retail trade across the region, the company's growth strategy and his priorities for the next phase of leadership.
Romania's Competition Council has conditionally approved the acquisition of Supermarket La Cocoș by the Schwarz Group through Project Brazil Beta company, following an investigation by the authority.
Retail developers continue to accelerate expansion plans across Romania, with projects totalling more than 750,000 sqm currently in construction and planning stages for delivery until 2029, according to a report by Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.
Vista Bank marked its debut as a bond issuer on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB). The bank listed its €17 million bond issue on the Regulated Market, consolidating its strategy to diversify funding sources through the capital market.
The Vega Ploiești Refinery, operated by Rompetrol Rafinare, has started producing hexane with a minimum purity of 60%, supporting polypropylene production and the food industry.
The EU's downward trend in transport costs ended abruptly in March 2026, with Romania emerging as one of the most heavily impacted member states.
Energy producer OMV Petrom and RNV Infrastructure have announced that three wind projects in Romania, with a total installed capacity of approximately 300 MW, are entering the execution phase following the final investment decision. The projects hold the necessary permits, with production expected to begin in stages from H1 2027.
Romania's budget deficit calculated according to the European ESA methodology has dropped from 9.3% of GDP in 2024 to 7.9% of GDP in 2025, representing a correction of 1.4 percentage points of GDP.