State of the art and new trends in the retail real estate sector

 

Retail Trends, Cocuzza & Associati annual event, has reached its eighth edition, with a renewed look and an online format.

 The pandemic has had a heavy impact on the retail real estate sector, with a succession of lockdowns and restarts that have put a strain on the operators in the sector. Over the past year, some of the topics covered in previous editions have undergone a strong acceleration. Think of the push towards digitization and sustainability, the now central role of online, the importance of offering consumers increasingly sophisticated shopping experiences and the consequent rethinking of the "brick and mortar" store.

Retail Trends 2021 offers, in addition to a detailed analysis of the state of the art, an anticipation of some future prospects, highlighting the opportunities for those operating in the sector despite the difficult times. The goal is to help understand what is happening and to outline future scenarios and perspectives, with a focus on the world of fashion and luxury, thanks to the fundamental contribution of the leaders of the sector who, with their valuable interviews, have provided us with an extensive range of information and direct testimonials on the hottest issues of the retail market.

The report was presented on Wednesday 5 May from 11.30 to 13.00.

Claudio Cocuzza introduced the business session with Alessandro Varisco, CEO, Twinset; Leonardo Cavalli, Founder and Managing Partner, One Works; Thomas Casolo, International Partner Head of Retail Italy Cushman & Wakefield  as panelists, and with Giulia Comparini and Alessandro Barzaghi as moderators.

In the afternoon, the legal session hosted interventions by Claudio Cocuzza, Giulia Comparini, Alessandro Barzaghi, and Thomas Mambrini, who addressed the most outstanding legal issues for retail real estate. Starting, for example, with the consequences of the pandemic on lease agreements, to then move on to an analysis of the resilience of franchising agreements but also of its pitfalls. The thorny issue of lease renegotiation was also addressed with reference also to the bill currently being discussed at Parliament. An overview of the international situation focused on what is happening across the border. At the end of the meeting, a focus on the role of commerce in urban regeneration in the light of the current legislation on the subject.

 

The report is in Italian and is available upon request.