Traditional shopping centers lose competitive edge to online platforms

According to the ABN agency, early 2026 marked another decline in foot traffic for shopping centers in Russia. Focus Technologies analysts recorded a traffic drop, confirming the long-term trend that the traditional shopping mall model is finally losing out to digital commerce.

Focus Technologies monitoring shows shopping center attendance decreased by 3% in 2025. Home improvement and repair stores suffered the largest losses at 18%, followed by electronics at 9% and grocery retail at 8%. Commercial Real Estate reported that 10 shopping centers closed in 2025 alone. Consequently, these facilities are forced to transform into multifunctional spaces where leisure concepts such as catering, sports, and entertainment already occupy up to 30% of the area and could reach 50% in the future.

For the pet retail sector, which has considered opening locations in shopping centers a guaranteed success for the past 15 years, the time has come for a strategy change. Previously, guaranteed visitor flow justified even the most stringent lease terms, but the current decline in format appeal is forcing pet retail chains to re-evaluate their target audience and approaches to this channel.