Towards Smart and Sustainable Shopping Centres – A Response to the Challenges of Modern Supply Chains

Abstract:

Although shopping centres have become a permanent feature in the landscape of many cities and are not only a place to do shopping but also to relax and meet friends, they have recently been affected by a number of problems. Changing societies following sustainable development, evolving shopping habits of final consumers who are more inclined to buy online, the development of new technologies and many others, give rise to new trends in supply chains and create many challenges for shopping centres today. These difficulties have been exacerbated by times of pandemic and lockdown, when centres were periodically closed and recorded losses. In response to this, various solutions are being implemented in shopping centres. However, the final effect of these measures, in such a turbulent environment, is difficult to determine. Therefore, the aim of this article is twofold: 1) to present the basic challenges in modern retail supply chains, and 2) to discuss solutions that are introduced to shopping centres in response to trends in supply chains, e.g. in Poland. For this purpose, an analysis of literature and reports on logistics solutions and trends in retail supply chains, as well as statistical data and reports prepared by the Polish Council of Shopping Centres, consulting companies and real estate agents relating to the development of the shopping centre market in Poland were made.