French retail specialist Klépierre aims to promote retailers who offer their customers the best value and meet their daily needs as part of the company´s strategy to lift footfall, CEO Laurent Morel said in an interview with PropertyEU.
'By actively managing our tenants and our malls, we expect from 3% to 4% rental growth for the full year,’ Morel noted during an interview in December last year.
In contrast to some competitors like Multi and Corio who are focused on creating meeting places and improving the entertainment mix at their shopping centres, Morel believes malls are the place to do daily purchases. ‘Our story revolves around the relationship with brands and our efforts to promote the winning ones as a way to reinforce our malls.’
Morel said winning retailers are those which provide ´exceptional value for money in these challenging times´. ´They are the key to make your mall move faster,’ he added.
Klépierre is backing players such as Irish clothing retailer Primark, which is growing in Spain and planning a move in France, and Hema, a Dutch discount retail chain. ‘Hema has already signed up in eight stores in France and we are introducing them in four new centres,’ Morel noted.
Another retailer that has been going strong is the Milanese cosmetic group Kiko. The Northern Italian retailer has opened in 26 malls so far and is planning openings in another 16 of Klépierre’s centres.
