On 9 December 2015 the Ukrainian Retail Association revealed the results of the annual shopping and entertainment centres ratings. The Shopping Centre Awards ceremony of the top shopping centres was held at Retail & Development Business Summit.

In the “Traditional medium sized shopping and entertainment centre” category the two top positions were taken by Prospect (Kiev) and RayON (Kiev), both properties of Arricano Real Estate Plc.

“To have two of our properties top the list of the best shopping centres of 2015 is a vote of confidence on part of customers, recognition of the concerted efforts of Arricano’s team and the direction we are moving in, - shares her views Yuliya Schastlivaya, Arricano’s Leasing Director. – We are particularly pleased that the very recent newcomer Prospect SEC, opened just a year ago, has topped the list. We thank our tenants, visitors, partners and employees for their co-operation and development”.

36 shopping centres from 5 Ukrainian cities (Kyiv, Lviv, Odessa, Kharkov and Dnepropetrovsk) took part in the ratings. 189 retailers filled in the questionnaire asking them to assess location, accessibility, property concept and design, operation of the centres and marketing communications. For this 2015 survey the Expert council of the Ukrainian Retail Association developed a special shopping centres classification based on the European classification of shopping centres and the data on GLA of shopping centres of the International Council of Shopping Centres (ICSC).

The purpose of the rating is to collect and present to retailers consolidated data on retail properties in Ukraine, including evaluation on such criteria as value for money and services offered to retailers by the SEC managing company. Thus, the outcome of the ratings survey act as benchmarks for potential quality partnerships for new brands which might be considering entering the Ukrainian market. For the second consecutive year the international research holding Factum Group Ukraine, has formed partnerships with the rating committee.

Arricano’s CEO Mikhail Merkulov thinks that such ratings by a professional association is a sign of the industry becoming more mature: “The shopping centres ranking list from the Ukrainian Retail Association is an aspect of the formation of favourable investment climate in the country. In Ukraine the commercial retail property market is just evolving, that is why the shopping centre rating by chain retailers supported by the internationally recognized Factum Group Ukraine which guarantees impartiality of research and credibility of results acts as an indicator of systemic approach to industry development for both active retailers and international brands who are only considering entry to the Ukrainian market”.