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Retail

A New Chapter in Mall Competition: Zara and Sephora Are Reshaping Visitor Traffic

September 29, 2026

“Istanbul's retail map is being redrawn by major store openings and new mall investments, while grocery chains continue to hold the spotlight with seasonal promotions.”

Summary

Meydan İstanbul has become the most talked-about stop on today's retail agenda, thanks to store openings by giants such as Zara and Sephora. The presence of these two brands under one roof is seen not merely as a storefront refresh, but as a sign that the mall's positioning is shifting toward a luxury and fashion-focused experience. The noticeable pickup in visitor traffic following these openings once again shows that competition among Istanbul's shopping malls is now measured not only by square meters, but by which brands they host.

Details

But the spotlight does not belong to Meydan İstanbul alone. Florentia Village has moved to the center of the outlet mall debate in Turkey with its new opening, bringing renewed attention to the local relevance of the Italian-style outlet concept. Along the same lines, Koru Florya is signaling an expansion of its retail portfolio with news of a new mall investment, while the opening process of İstanbul Finans Merkezi AVM remains one of the most discussed projects of the year in the sector. The fact that these three names are in the headlines at the same time shows that, despite Istanbul's mall saturation, new investors still find the city attractive. On the other hand, chains that keep their finger on the pulse of daily consumption are not leaving the stage either. ŞOK continues to be the most visible representative of price-focused shopping habits with its September 26 promotional products and checkout-counter campaigns. CarrefourSA, with its September catalog and price-increase lists, serves as a mirror showing how inflation is reflected on supermarket shelves. Migros joins a similar picture with its promotional catalogs, and its name appearing in news about the retail confidence index suggests the brand has become a reference point across the sector. On the electronics retail front, MediaMarkt has unexpectedly landed on the agenda with competition and investigation news; such stories remind us that the brand is under the scrutiny of oversight mechanisms as much as it is in the focus of market share. Vatan Bilgisayar being named as one of the main players in news about electronics retail competition shows that the price and campaign battle in this segment has not slowed down. In home improvement, BAUHAUS stands out as one of the most visible names in the home development category with its deals page and up-to-date product flow. This shows that consumers are actively seeking purchases not only in clothing and food, but also in home renovation and DIY.

Key Findings
  1. 1ŞOK continues to be the most visible representative of price-focused shopping habits with its September 26 promotional products and checkout-counter campaigns.
  2. 2Meydan İstanbul has become the most talked-about stop on today's retail agenda, thanks to store openings by giants such as Zara and Sephora.
  3. 3The presence of these two brands under one roof is seen not merely as a storefront refresh, but as a sign that the mall's positioning is shifting toward a luxury and fashion-focused experience.
  4. 4The noticeable pickup in visitor traffic following these openings once again shows that competition among Istanbul's shopping malls is now measured not only by square meters, but by which brands they host.
  5. 5But the spotlight does not belong to Meydan İstanbul alone.

Conclusion

Looking at the overall picture of the day, two parallel stories are unfolding in the retail sector. On one side, the excitement of the upper segment, shaped by large mall investments and brand openings; on the other, grocery chains' efforts to retain daily consumers with promotional campaigns. This dual structure shows that Turkey's retail market is trying to appeal to luxury-oriented and price-focused consumer groups at the same time. How new mall openings and grocery campaigns will affect this balance in the coming days will remain one of the sector's most closely watched questions.