Mall Space Demand Outstrips Supply for 3rd Consecutive Year: Anarock Retail

Mumbai, March 19, 2025: The Indian retail sector continues to witness robust growth, driven by macroeconomic factors of rapid urbanization, rising affluence, and evolving consumer preferences. According to the latest RELEAP report by ANAROCK Retail, the sector has seen significant leasing momentum, with demand consistently outpacing supply for the third consecutive year.

Highlights

• Leasing Momentum: In 2024, over 6.5 million sq ft of organized retail space were leased across major cities, surpassing the supply of new stock significantly. This has led to a reduction in vacancy levels in malls to 7.8 per cent, causing rental values to increase.
• Store Size Preferences: Retailers have shifted their preferences to larger stores, with spaces admeasuring between 2000-5000 sq ft recording the highest share of transactions. Stores ranging from 1,000 to 2,500 sq ft are seeing increased demand due to limited availability in malls.
• Category Trends: The Beauty & Personal Care and Departmental Store segments witnessed an 11 per cent surge in the second half of 2024. Apparel & Accessories continue to dominate, accounting for 40 per cent of leasing transactions in H2 2024.
• Vacancy Rates: Vacancy in prominent malls continues to decline, with superior malls operating to nearly 100 per cent capacity. Vacancy rates have dropped from 15.5 per cent in 2021 to 7.8 per cent in 2024.

Upcoming Supply (2024-2028) & Rental Trends

Anuj Kejriwal, CEO & MD, Anarock Retail, says, “Significant upcoming supply is planned in NCR, MMR, and Hyderabad, accounting for nearly 78 per cent of the total supply. Notable mall developments include World Mark, Aerocity with 30 lakh sq ft, Ramsons Trends Square Mall, Bangalore with 10 lakh sq ft, and Orion Mall, in Kokapet, Hyderabad – also with 10 lakh sq ft. Rental values across malls and highstreets are on the rise and are expected to continue their upward climb until new good quality supply is added.”

Key high street locations include MG Road, Bangalore (lease rates at INR 250-350/sq ft), South Extension, Delhi (lease rates at INR 800-1000/sq ft), and Linking Road, Mumbai (lease rates at INR 800-1000/sq ft).

Top Tenants: Major tenants based on total area leased include Lifestyle International (15,69,760 sq ft), Reliance Projects & Property Management Services (15,02,823 sq ft), and PVR Limited (11,14,427 sq ft).

The Big Picture

The Indian retail sector’s vibrant growth is leading to ever-increasing organized retail space leasing across the country. Moreover, malls and shopping complexes of all stripes are pulling out all the stops to transform themselves into multi-faceted experience zones that go far beyond shopping. The targeted goal is for dining, entertainment, and all other experiential facets to dovetail seamlessly with active shopping, and this requires retailers and brands to shift to bigger spaces in larger-scale malls that can offer the requisite experience to patrons.