Italy Forum: Back to the future

ITALIAN retail — which as ever will have a strong presence at MAPIC — has been undergoing a period of change, in terms of organisation of spaces and purchasing trends by customers, with the issues to be discussed during Italy Forum: Back to the Future, on December 1. Roberto Zoia, CNCC president and director of heritage, development and management, IGD SIIQ, underlined this at MAPIC Italy recently: “A very important theme is sustainability,” he said. “Public opinion and politics have now understood that we have at heart a series of missions in this sense, which we want to carry out and implement and will guide the future of the shopping centre industry.” And he stressed: “The next challenge will be to work on the ‘Recovery Plan’ and on the aspects that will help our industry. We have learned that nothing can be achieved alone. Presenting ourselves as an industry is fundamental today.” Indeed, change is connected to a stronger partnership between owners and retailers and IGD SIIQ chief operating o cer Daniele Cabuli says of its presence at MAPIC: “There will be a certain emphasis on leisure at this edition: we will also present solutions which respond to the needs that emerged in the various surveys taken, like the desire to go out again, to have fun and take care of yourself. Above all our participation will be shaped by the idea of a renaissance.” Also at MAPIC Italy, Raoul Ravara, asset management director, Hines Italy, added that the company is investing in the ‘living asset’ class, including a new retail concept. He cited the Velasca Project, a new concept of a mixed-use building, including o ces, retail and residential. “The project will be completed in mid-2023 and, more importantly, will include the entire redevelopment of the square in front, with the inclusion of green areas in order to support retail and its new needs, he said. Another long-time MAPIC participant, Svicom, has been pushing forward with a number of developments, having supported the launch of La Birreria in Naples, Maregrosso in Messina, Granroma in Rome, and Bari Santa Caterina retail park in Bari. Leasing is also ongoing at Go! Torino, located in the city centre, which opens in 2022. 

THE OPENING of two Smart format stores in the city centres of Rome and Turin marked the next step in the implementation of German consumer electronics giant MediaMarktSaturn’s new store strategy. It is introducing four concepts at its approximately 1,000 stores, underlining the importance of its brick-and-mortar estate within its omni-channel strategy. The company has introduced the Core, Lighthouse, Smart and Xpress formats, tailored to di erent target groups and local requirements. “With our new store formats, we are moving even closer to our customers, o ering them the best product assortment, excellent services and outstanding customer advice — in an attractive city centre location, conveniently around the corner or in a spectacular technology experience world,” says chief commercial o cer Guido Monferrini.