New shopping centres are on the way, and shoppers are spending more time there
The shopping centre sector remains, on the whole, a mature one. For the three-year period 2026–2028, there are nine projects in the pipeline: four new centres – in Cantù (Co), Turin and Brescia in 2027 and in Messina in 2028 – and five extensions, including those of Shopville Le Gru and Romagna Shopping Valley. Assuming all projects are completed, the total number of centres would increase by a maximum of 0.4 per cent. Openings are proceeding at a steady pace and investment is focused on the refurbishment of existing facilities rather than on new developments, according to the findings – as stated in a press release – of the ‘Retail Real Estate Overview 2026’ study conducted by Reno exclusively for Confimprese.
According to the Reno Observatory, there are 1,006 shopping centres in operation in Italia, an increase of 0.5 per cent compared with the 1,001 recorded in 2025. Over the past year, the Waterfront Mall in Genoa, the Fass Shopping Centre in Elmas (Ca) – the largest facility with 52,800 square metres of gross lettable area – and the Galleria Porta Vittoria in Milan have been opened; the Iper Tosano in Brescia, formerly the S. Anna centre, has reopened following a refurbishment with new anchor tenants. Against the backdrop of these openings, there was just one closure: a trend consistent with that of a mature market, characterised by a steady pace of 2–4 openings per year, a small number of closures and a positive net balance.
“The data from the Reno study,” explains Mario Resca, president of Confimprese, “confirm that the shopping centre market in Italia has reached a stage of maturity and stability. In this context, value is no longer measured by the number of new openings, but by the ability to maximise the value of existing assets. Furthermore, the increase in dwell times, the stability of rents and the low vacancy rates in the best-performing centres confirm the central role of shopping centres as places where millions of people gather, shop and enjoy experiences.”
