Attendance at shopping centers in Moscow fell by 39% in three years

The Rstat index calculated by Antivor is cited by RBC. The decline in attendance at Moscow shopping malls is also evidenced by the Shopping Mall Index data presented by Focus Technologies. It is reported that relative to the previous three years, Muscovites were 11%, 18% and 23% less likely to visit shopping malls in the first weeks of August, respectively.

Crocus Group First Vice President Emin Agalarov told the publication that attendance at its malls fell 14-21% compared to the same period in 2021 and 20-35% compared to 2019.

As reasons for the departure of customers, the businessman named the suspension of many stores, as well as the hot weather.

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The president of the Baon network pointed out that the average check on the network increased by 50% during the year, so traffic was also affected by a decrease in household income and the desire to reduce spending.

The decrease in the flow of customers did not affect all shopping centers in Moscow. In particular, Svetlana Kuzmina, a representative of Accent Capital, spoke about the growth in traffic of the Sokolniki shopping center by 20% in early August. There were no brand stores coming out of Russia in this mall.

August sales did not save most of Moscow’s shopping malls from a drop in attendance. At the beginning of the month, the Swedish company H&M, which announced its withdrawal from the Russian market, temporarily resumed the work of its stores in order to liquidate the remaining merchandise.

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