MAPIC 2026 brought nearly 3,600 participants to Cannes, including 1,000 retail brands, 10% more than last year, as the international retail leasing event turned its attention to creating value from existing space against an uncertain economic backdrop.
Held at the Palais des Festivals on 3 and 4 November, the event combined business meetings, conferences and roundtables with networking in the compact format introduced last year, which now comes with a range of participation packages, including more flexible options that proved popular with attendees.
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The 150 exhibitors included major property owners, asset managers and international brokers, among them AEW, Altarea, Westfield, Klépierre, Carmila, Frey, Redevco, Nhood, Hammerson, Eurocommercial, Pradera, Neinver, Cenomi Centres, Sonae Sierra, Ingka Centres, Triple 5, Landsec, VIA Outlets, Cushman & Wakefield, CBRE, Colliers, Savills and Newmark.
Creating Value From Existing Space
With retail property performance and investment volumes varying significantly between regions, and fewer development projects in the pipeline, much of the focus was on redevelopment and extensions, and on making sure tenant mixes meet what consumers expect.
Brands that regularly attend MAPIC, including Uniqlo, Burger King, Flying Tiger Copenhagen, Primark, Aroma-Zone, Nike, New Yorker, Pandora, Zara, Apple, Swarovski, Rituals and Lululemon, were joined by a stronger luxury presence this year, with Brunello Cucinelli, Burberry, Boggi Milano, Messika, Moorer, Tapestry, RH Restoration Hardware, Kering, Fusalp and Trussardi.
Brands from Asia, including several Korean concepts, were represented by Pop Mart, Hazzys, Seoul Dining Group, Chungchun Rice Dog, Balabala, Borntostandout, Dairy Queen, Genki Sushi, MUUT, Tups Skin Lounge, O.W.M. and Stand Oil. From North America and Australia, Bath & Body Works, Dave’s Hot Chicken, Popeyes, Wendy’s, Wingstop, Slim Chickens, Chick-fil-A, Arc’teryx, Garage and Anine Bing were among those looking at the European market.
Leisure operators, now important footfall drivers for retail destinations, included Secret Cinema, IMAX, Jumpyard Concepts, Planet Fitness Club, Five Iron Golf, Cosmo, Zero Latency, La Boîte aux Enfants, Fever and DEA Planet Entertainment, alongside food and beverage concepts including Ephemera Group, Dunkin, Honest Greens, Tea Palace, Boparan and Giraudi Group.
Markets Beyond Europe
New geographical focus sessions looked at markets outside Europe. Sessions on South Africa and Latin America brought together property companies including Vukile, an investor that is also active in Europe, Broll Group, Allux and Lady Lee Corporation.
Representatives from the Middle East, including Cenomi Centres, Westfield’s partner in the region, Azad Properties and Majid Al Futtaim, stressed the importance of brands treating the region as a collection of distinct local markets. India was presented as a market at a tipping point for European brands, with significant opportunities for those that choose local partners carefully and adapt their offer while retaining their identity.
High Streets and Retail Parks
Retail parks and city-centre retail, both continuing to attract strong investor interest, received dedicated attention this year. A new high street zone connected city representatives, specialist high street agents and retailers, while a stage programme organised with Cushman & Wakefield covered Europe’s leading shopping streets, their rental values and the brands that have recently entered them.
A new Retail Parks Summit, organised in partnership with Accessite, brought together owners, managers and retailers, including property owners Redevco, Pradera, M Core, AEW, Frey and Compagnie de Phalsbourg. Speakers pointed to the format’s flexibility and affordability for retailers and the stable income it generates for owners, but warned that retail parks should neither be regarded as straightforward to manage nor turned into shopping centres, which would risk undermining what makes the model distinctive. The Retail Parks Summit was moderated by Andrea Boris Hipeco, European Head of Leasing at Multi Corporation.
The Conference Programme
Simon French, Chief Economist and Head of Research at Panmure Liberum, highlighted the resilience of consumers, who continue to save against a backdrop of economic uncertainty and inflationary pressures, with the US midterm elections commanding attention. He also urged caution on artificial intelligence, which he said will help reduce production costs but raises concerns about intellectual property and its impact on local economies and town centres.
Laure Kruithoff, Retail Director at Aroma-Zone, set out the beauty and wellbeing brand’s model, built around a strong digital community, local sourcing and local production capabilities. Supported by partnerships with property owners, the brand is targeting a doubling of its store network by 2028.
Vincent Rouget, CEO of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, described retail as fundamentally about creating memorable moments in destinations that have become part of the urban fabric, shared by communities that have grown around them. He outlined the group’s strategy to drive organic growth across its premium portfolio through investment in customer experience, retail media and data management, and said the international franchise model launched with Cenomi Centres in Saudi Arabia will soon expand through a new partner in Thailand, before further markets are explored.
The programme also included the MAPIC Awards 2026, held in the Grand Auditorium of the Palais des Festivals on the opening day.
“We are delighted with this year’s edition, which participants have described as rich in productive meetings and opportunities to discover new brands. Every year, our ambition is to provide industry professionals with an environment that supports business meetings, while also acting as a curator, seeking out new brands around the world that could become important players in tomorrow’s retail destinations. Retailers now account for more than 40% of MAPIC participants, which is what gives this unique event its strength.”
Francesco Pupillo, Director, MAPIC
MAPIC will return on 3 and 4 November 2027 at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes.
Terry Clark is the Publisher and Content Director of 365 Retail, with more than a decade of experience covering retail design, technology innovations, store openings and the wider retail industry. He also works closely with leading retailers, suppliers, agencies, events and industry awards across the UK.
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