The Federation of European Self Storage Associations (FEDESSA) and commercial real estate firm CBRE Group Inc. have released their annual report on the state of self-storage in Europe. The 2025 publication reveals the industry’s continued resilience, despite economic and political uncertainty, with 70% of facility operators anticipating improvements in occupancy and rental rates within the next year, according to a press release.
The report notes an increase in personal vs. commercial self-storage usage, fueled by evolving customer preferences and industry investments in technology, which is a reversal of a prior trend. Rental rates increased by 5.4%, reaching an average of €312.56 per square meter. This was partially offset by a small drop in occupancy rates.
Artificial-intelligence (AI) tools are being used by 90% of self-storage operators for functions like pricing and customer analytics, according to the report. In addition, 89% of storage businesses are looking to invest in store or information-technology improvements, with AI and security upgrades leading the way. Operators are also diversifying their revenue streams, with 90% generating income through ancillary products and services like retail sales and truck rentals.
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The report also highlights evolving consumer behavior, with younger customers preferring digital-first interactions, leading to a significant increase in online bookings and mobile-app usage from a year ago. CBRE anticipates up to €450 million in web-based transactions by year end and a potential for more than a billion in 2026-27.
Europe is seeing an increase in remotely managed self-storage facilities, particularly in Austria, Germany and Sweden. This is being driven by advancements in access control and automation, signaling a move toward greater efficiency and convenience, according to the report.
Self-storage operators noted rising land costs and planning constraints as leading key challenges.
“The self-storage industry continues to demonstrate its inherent resilience, with operators navigating economic challenges effectively,” said Oliver Close, senior director of self-storage and operational real estate for CBRE. “The increased adoption of AI and focus on ancillary revenue streams highlights the sector’s adaptability and its potential for sustained expansion. These attributes are driving ongoing interest in the sector from a broadening investment community.”
“The self-storage market offers attractive opportunities for both investors and operators,” said Rennie Schafer, CEO of FEDESSA. “Despite the current macroeconomic environment, we see improvement in operational performance in the sector, driven by robust and growing consumer demand and a willingness among operators to innovate and adapt.”
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Founded in 2004, FEDESSA consists of 12 European self-storage associations that represent about 2,000 facilities. The organization hosts its annual conference each fall in a different European city.
CBRE Group, a Fortune 500 and Standard & Poor’s 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, has more than 140,000 employees, excluding affiliates. It serves real estate investors, occupiers and owners in more than 100 countries. The company offers advice and execution for appraisal and valuation; corporate services; development services; investment management; mortgage banking; property, facilities and project management; property sales and leasing; and research and consulting.
Sources:CBRE, European Self Storage Sector Shows Resilience Amid Economic HeadwindsFEDESSA, European Annual Industry Report 2025
ISS Staff
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