Advent promotions and new offers continue after the opening of JOY Shopping Rugvica and Designer Outlet Croatia's latest extension

Zagreb, 11 December 2025

The JOY Shopping Rugvica retail park and Designer Outlet Croatia’s latest extension have officially opened. Celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the promenade between the two centres, the opening was attended by representatives of Ingka Centres, ROS Retail Outlet Shopping, the FREY Group, Mutschler Outlet Holding, the Municipality of Rugvica and Zagreb County. The opening day on 11 December 2025 concluded with an exclusive concert by Maja Šuput at JOY Shopping Rugvica, while visitors enjoyed a full-day programme, a festive Advent atmosphere and an expanded offer.

JOY Shopping Rugvica brings 10,500 m² of retail space and nine new stores, including Plodine, dm, Zoo City, JYSK, Sinsay, HalfPrice, TEDi, CCC and KFC with a drive-through. Designer Outlet Croatia has been successfully extended by an additional
5,592 m² and 15 new shopping units, including a new Adidas flagship outlet store – the largest Adidas outlet store in Southeastern Europe, as well as Only, Optika Anda, Fashion&Friends and XYZ. This takes the centre to around 21,000 m² of GLA and approximately 115 stores when fully let.

from left to right: Mario Barros, Ingka Centres South-West Europe Market Manager, Branko Mihajlov, Project Development Manager SEE & Leasing Business Partner SEE at Ingka Centres, Tomislav Bekavac, Centre Manager of Designer Outlet Croatia and JOY Shopping Rugvica, Thomas Reichenauer, Co-Founder & Managing Director ROS Retail Outlet Shopping, Nikola Grdan, Head of Retail Operations ROS Retail Outlet Shopping

“Outlet Croatia’s expansion and the opening of JOY Shopping Rugvica demonstrate Ingka Centres’ commitment to strengthening our presence in the region. By welcoming new brands and introducing JOY Shopping Rugvica, we are creating a more dynamic retail environment that meets evolving customer expectations. This growth positions Designer Outlet Croatia and JOY Shopping Rugvica as key destinations for customers seeking quality and value, and we are excited about the opportunities this creates for our business and partners” - said Mario Barros, Ingka Centres South-West Europe Market Manager
“For Ingka Centres, this is not only an investment in square metres but also in the community. We can already see this becoming a place where people come to shop, but also for experiences, and that is equally important to us,” he added.

Branko Mihajlov, Project Development Manager SEE & Leasing Business Partner SEE at Ingka Centres, underlined the importance of the project for the development of Rugvica: “Today we are completing an important phase in the development of Rugvica as a shopping zone. JOY Shopping Rugvica brings 10,500 square metres of retail space and nine stores, while Designer Outlet Croatia is growing to around 21,000 square metres and approximately 115 stores when fully let. Together we are creating a destination where customers can cover almost all their shopping needs in one place.”

“This project creates around 350 full-time jobs in JOY alone, in addition to new positions in the outlet, food & beverage and supporting services. These are concrete figures, but behind them are real people and families, and that is particularly important to us,” Mihajlov emphasised.

Tomislav Bekavac, Centre Manager of Designer Outlet Croatia and JOY Shopping Rugvica, highlighted how well the new phase has been received by visitors: “Visitor feedback throughout the opening day was extremely positive. We saw guests from Zagreb and the surrounding area, but also from other parts of Croatia and neighbouring countries. Many told us how much they appreciate having IKEA, Designer Outlet Croatia and now JOY at the same motorway exit.”

“For us as a centre team, this is confirmation that all the effort was worth it. From the largest Adidas outlet store in South Eastern Europe to the everyday offer in JOY, our goal is for Rugvica to be the first place people think of when they plan a shopping trip,” Bekavac added.

Opening Week: New Highlights for Customers

Following a successful grand opening, JOY Shopping Rugvica, Designer Outlet Croatia and the entire Rugvica shopping zone will continue to enhance visitor experience with a thoughtfully planned schedule of activities and exclusive offers in the coming days.

• Ongoing Opening Promotions at JOY Shopping Rugvica
  JOY tenants will extend a range of special discounts, promotions and exciting prize raffles, with heightened activity planned for the weekend and the pre-Christmas shopping rush. Visitors can enjoy new weekly benefits, communicated via website and social media channels.

• Seasonal campaigns and Mrak Thursday in Designer Outlet Croatia
  Seasonal campaigns in Designer Outlet Croatia will continue with savings of 30 to 70% all year round, alongside a special edition of Mrak Thursday with additional discounts. In the weeks following the opening, the focus will be on winter and festive collections and final pre-New Year sales.

• Advent Programme and Family Experiences Across the Zone
  Advent houses, Museum of Illusions installations, complimentary gift wrapping service, mascots of Father Christmas, Mrs Claus and polar bears, as well as children’s animations, will continue throughout the Advent period. The aim is for Rugvica to be a natural choice for a family day out – with the possibility to shop, eat and enjoy the festive atmosphere in one trip.

• Easy access and free parking
  Ideally positioned at the motorway exit and offering extensive free parking, Rugvica continues to stand out as a stress-free alternative to crowded city-centre shopping. Guests from Zagreb, throughout Croatia and nearby countries can enjoy a perfectly planned day out across IKEA, Designer Outlet Croatia and JOY Shopping Rugvica.

For tenants and partners, the opening marks the start of an exciting new chapter in the evolution of the Rugvica shopping zone. Over the coming months, efforts will focus on boosting footfall and sales, launching joint marketing initiatives, and continually enhancing the customer experience—all in close collaboration with the Municipality of Rugvica and Zagreb County.

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