Sales area productivity, Europe 2016

Growth in sales area productivity (gross retail turnover per m2) is an important gauge of market health for retailers looking to expand to new regions. In 2016, sales area productivity grew by 0.9% in the EU-27 (this excludes the UK due to the exchange rate disparity). Luxembourg, Switzerland, Norway, and Sweden top the rankings, but retailers can also prosper in countries with lower values, but less market saturation. Various factors influence sales area productivity, including retail format, brand strength, location quality, competitor presence, and the available purchasing power of the population.