Evidence from Europe’s outlet centres suggests that when carefully managed, outlet stores can strengthen luxury brand strategy rather than weaken it.

Retail’s outlet sector is continuing to grow as brand turnover reaches €23.6 billion in 2025. Record sales, m ajor outlet acquisition activity and a new retailer at the top of the vitality charts are just a few features of the latest European Outlet Industry Report (EOIR).  The 2026 EOIR, produced by respected sector analyst Ken Gunn, is the leading and most definitive assessment of the 206 outlet centres (providing some 4.1m sqm of gross lettable area) and offers insights i

European Outlet Industry sees record brand turnover and rising investment in 2025

A brief assessment of the regional opportunity for outlet centre development in the Balkans.

The latest EOIR estimates 2024 brand turnover of €23 billion across Europe’s 210 outlet centres. This is 7.2% greater than 2023.

In a collaboration with Across Magazine, the leading international and independent trade medium for “placemaking” in Europe, Ken Gunn offers some thoughts on how good practice from with the European outlet industry might help to increase the commercial value of shopping malls.

Booming Growth in Turnover and New Brands

The 2023 edition of MAPIC, the leading European Retail Real Estate Conference, will take place at the Palais des Festival in Cannes this month. Once again, Ken Gunn Consulting will be speaking at MAPIC in our capacity as Europe's leading source of research on outlet centre trends and performance. The conference brings together real estate professionals from around the world, for four days of conference sessions, networking and deal making. Once again, the outlet industry w

Ken Gunn discusses how to evaluate the performance of an outlet center, investments, and outlet center management

While 2020 was a turbulent year, Ken Gunn Consulting's annual review of occupiers listed at 270 European outlet centre websites reveals that the sector is in a strong position for recovery in 2021.

The Covid-19 crisis is a tragedy for our society. A year on from the first outbreaks in Wuhan, the virus continues to present an unsolvable challenge for our politicians and their advisors. Those city centres which once attracted enormous sums of investment are amongst the hardest hit by the Covid-19 counter measures, leaving shopping centre managers helpless and seemingly caught in a dystopian nightmare. However, while times are at their most challenging, not all retailing

For brands thinking about joining the outlet sector, expanding estates or looking to improve trading performance at established outlet stores, Ken Gunn Consulting is your ideal guide

Outlet Summit reflects strong sector growth: Designer outlets remain a buoyant sector within the retail market, with sales growth second only to online by GRAHAM PARKER on NOVEMBER 14, 2019 With the top-four outlet operators experiencing similar growth to online, the outlet industry is doing “ spectacularly well ”, according to Kenneth Gunn, managing director of Ken Gunn Consulting. He said that Germany, Italy and the Netherlands were seeing the fastest growth rates, with the

Ken Gunn explains why brands and investors should pay close attention to the ground breaking Paddock Paris project.

Ken Gunn will present a market overview at the MAPIC Outlet Summit 2019 in Cannes

Ken Gunn discusses the many benefits of operating an outlet channel for brands such as Adidas, Gucci, Hugo Boss, Nike and Polo Ralph Lauren

Ken Gunn suggests reasons why sales at designer outlet sales are growing at ten times the rate of traditional retail centres

Ken Gunn Consulting makes its first public appearance at SIEC 2019, Porte de Versailles Expo, Paris

Seven quotations which illustrate why designer outlet centres have become an enduring global success

Introducing Ken Gunn, Europe's leading independent consultant for outlet centre development feasibility, investment and performance strategy