Future of the city center: Experts discuss retail survival!

Future of the city center: Experts discuss retail survival!

The retail situation in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is becoming increasingly precarious – and not just since yesterday. On November 10, 2025, the challenges and prospects of inner cities will be discussed at the “Talk on Site” event in the Demmin Beermann Arena. Simone Mattukat, managing director of the “Eisen Duwe” company in Demmin, which has existed since 1912, will be a guest speaker to talk about the need for a colorful mix of shops, services and doctors to ensure the viability of retail. “There’s something going on,” she says, summing up the problem that affects many local retailers.

The retail landscape in the region has changed significantly over the past few decades. Demographic change is leaving its mark: Since reunification, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has lost around 20 percent of its population. The exodus of young people between 1990 and 2013 leaves noticeable gaps that are only slowly being closed. Although there has been a recent trend towards immigration, this is not enough to stop population decline. The average gross wage in the region is the lowest in Germany, and purchasing power is modestly second to last in a national comparison. These factors are depressing demand and leading to more and more people choosing to shop online rather than go to city centers.

The challenges for retail

Changes in consumer behavior, coupled with a decline in the population, have left many stores empty. Mattukat puts it metaphorically: “Historically, several generations have bought their first washing machine from us,” but this tradition is in danger. Smaller and medium-sized cities such as Demmin, where the population has shrunk by 40 percent, are particularly affected. Tino Belg, spokesman for the Northern Trade Association, emphasizes that a critical minimum number of shops and restaurants are needed for retail locations to function.

In addition, rising energy prices and inflation continue to fuel retailers' concerns. In stark contrast to the discount stores on the outskirts of the city, which offer convenient shopping, there is a lack of meeting places in the city centers that encourage people to linger locally. Jan Nissen from the Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences notes that the inner cities urgently need to be further developed in order to remain lively and worth living in.

A look into the future

The “on-site talk” with Simone Mattukat, Jan Nissen, Michael Schröder, city manager of Neubrandenburg, and Thomas Witkowski, the mayor of Demmin, will try to find new ideas for revitalizing the city centers and address the challenges posed by empty shops and deserted shopping streets. Shops like “Eisen Duwe” play a central role, not only in providing goods, but also as a place for social gatherings. The future of city centers depends not only on the shops alone, but also on the community that animates them.

On November 10th at 8 p.m. everyone is invited to discuss the future of retail in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania with the experts in the Beermann Arena. The mix of shops, services and social meeting places could be the key to ensuring a breath of fresh air in cities in the future.

Time is short and everyone can do their part. Only together can retail in the region get back on its feet.

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