The 21st Spanish Congress of Shopping Centres and Retail Parks was held in Madrid, and attended by 1,400 professionals, which is the highest number in the history of the event. Under the slogan ‘Creating Value’, the two-day event brought together owners, managers, retailers, consultants and investors to analyse the challenges facing an industry that has asserted its strength and adaptability.
The institutional welcome was given by Eduardo Ceballos, Chairman of the AECC, who thanked the public authorities for their support and highlighted that 2025 is proving to be a year of growth. Adolfo Ramírez-Escudero, Chairman of the Congress and of CBRE Spain and LATAM, emphasised the role of shopping centres and retail parks in the economy and for social integration. Representing Pozuelo de Alarcón, Councillor Susana Penedo cited Pozuelo Station, LaFinca Grand Café, El Zoco and Zielo Shopping Centre as examples of dynamism, whilst María del Carmen Tejera, Deputy Minister for Economy and Employment of the Community of Madrid, emphasised the importance of the retail sector in generating employment, and announced a support plan of 20 million Euros for small businesses.
Economy and technology
Arcano Partners' Chief Economist, Ignacio de la Torre, opened the event with a macroeconomic overview. He explained that, despite the context of uncertainty, Spain had consolidated its position as one of the fastest-growing economies since the pandemic. He pointed out that consumption had become the driving force behind GDP and that retail had recorded a 6% increase in sales and a 3% increase in footfall in the first half of 2025, according to data from the AECC. He also warned of risks such as a recession in the US, geopolitical tension in several regions and the Chinese real estate crisis. In terms of technology, he highlighted the impact of artificial intelligence, which could generate a net creation of 78 million jobs by 2030.
Sustainability was represented by Javier Goyeneche, founder of Ecoalf, who explained how the company had developed more than 600 recycled fabrics from waste materials such as plastic, fishing nets and recycled cotton. He emphasised the need to rethink consumption habits and showed how initiatives such as anti-Black Friday aimed to raise awareness among consumers and the sector about a more responsible model of consumption.
At a European level, Julien Bouyeron, Secretary General of the European Council of Shopping Places, outlined the association's role as a representative for retail real estate in Brussels, and its work to simplify EU regulations affecting the sector.
New developments
The first day ended with a presentation on the Omo Cañaveral Retail Park by Juan Olivié (Omo Retail) and Pablo Buendía (Savills). Comprising 70,000 m² of GLA, it will be the largest retail warehouse park in Madrid, serving an area of influence of one million inhabitants, and linked to developments in the south-east, which will add 120,000 homes to the area. It will feature operators such as Brico Depôt, Mercadona, Lidl, Ahorramás and Kiabi, as well as a food court and leisure area with 13 paddle tennis courts and leisure spaces such as Ilusiona, Urban Planet and Ozone. The complex has BREEAM Very Good certification and zero-emissions targets. It is scheduled to open in 2027 and expects to attract eight million visitors a year.
The leap of digital brands
The second day began with the debate ‘From online and the high street to conquering the shopping centre’, moderated by Concha Ávila (Kiabi Iberia) with the participation of Juan Fernández-Estrada (Blue Banana) and Paco Tormo (Singularu). Both explained how, after growing through the online channel, their brands have opted for physical stores on high streets and in shopping centres, consolidating the brand and building customer loyalty. Blue Banana has more than 50 points of sale and Singularu more than 70, with turnover of almost 80 million Euros. Amongst the challenges they mentioned were stock management, logistics and the need to keep points of sale attractive. They agreed that shopping centres had become strategic spaces for their expansion.
The conference also featured a presentation by Giuseppe Stigliano, Forbes advisor and member of the HBR Advisory Council, who analysed the evolution from omnichannel to optichannel. He defined this concept as the strategic selection of the most effective channels for each brand and advocated the use of artificial intelligence and data to offer integrated customer experiences.
Spain on the international stage
The conference closed with a joint presentation by Manuel Muñiz, International Rector of IE University, and Vicente Vallés, journalist and television presenter, entitled ‘Spain in the world and the world in Spain’. Both analysed the restructuring of the global order, marked by the rise of new powers, the role of the United States and Russia, and the rise of populism in consolidated democracies. Muñiz pointed to fracture, volatility and uncertainty as key features of the current time, whilst Vallés warned that Spain risked losing international influence if it did not put together a more stable and consensual foreign policy.