Financial Systems - Summit at center: Retailers to be given increased backing
The Berlin government intends to step up their assistance to the retail sector. In the upcoming year, they'll collaborate with districts, trade associations, and businesses to establish a strategy for supporting shops in twelve designated areas with shopping streets, malls, or shopping centers. This was decided at a recent gathering known as the Center Summit.
There were around 100 participants, including the Chamber of Commerce, the Retail Association, the Verdi Union, the State Parliament, and the Senate. The current Taskforce Shopping Centers in the Economic Administration will expand to Taskforce Centers and manage the projects over the next few months.
Twelve of the 80 centers have been selected for this initiative - one in each district - such as Müllerstraße & Leopoldplatz in Mitte, Schönhauser Allee Arcades in Pankow, Schloßstraße in Steglitz-Zehlendorf, and Tempelhofer Damm in Tempelhof-Schöneberg. The choice of these twelve centers doesn't mean neglecting the remaining 78 citywide, insisted Economics Senator Franziska Giffey.
"The retail industry is facing more and more challenges," stated the SPD member Giffey. Changes in shopping habits, the shift towards e-commerce, rising rents, and overall increasing expenses are among the issues she cited. She also mentioned the financial struggles of the Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof department store chain.
To enhance the attractiveness of these areas, Giffey emphasized that new funding programs aren't necessary; instead, they'll make use of existing resources. These efforts include providing more charging stations for electric cars, as well as enhancing security and maintaining cleanliness in the affected districts.
