Skip to content

Services
Services

Unlock the value in every dimension of your real estate with integrated, data-led services that support your overall business strategy.
See Overview
Needs

Invest, Finance & Value

Plan, Lease & Occupy

Design & Build

Manage Properties & Portfolios

Transform Business Outcomes

View All Services

Property Types

Office

Retail

Hotels

Industrial & Logistics

Residential

See All Property Types

Industries

Petroleum & Automotive

Healthcare

Data Centre

See All Industries
ESG & Sustainability Solutions

Learn more
Insights & Research
Insights & Research

Our unmatched research and thought leadership platform delivers actionable insights to help our clients make informed business decisions.
Explore Insights & Research
Latest Research

Market Reports

Trending Topics

Sustainability

The Weekly Take Podcast

Our Take Newsletter

Data Center

Featured Insights

Intelligent Investment

Future Cities

Adaptive Spaces

Evolving Workforces

Creating Resilience
Properties
Offices
Careers
Careers

Find your next opportunity on the world’s leading commercial real estate services and investment team.
Explore Careers
Your Job at CBRE

Pupils, Students & Graduates

Consulting, Valuation & Sales

Construction, Operations & Project Management

Technical Services

Investment Management

Support Lines

Your start at CBRE

Recruiting FAQs & Tips

Why CBRE?

Our Employee Benefits

Culture & History
About Us
About Us

With more than 155,000 professionals in over 100 countries, CBRE is the global leader in commercial real estate services and investment and a premier provider of critical infrastructure services.
Explore
Management Germany

City Leads Germany

Newsroom

Events

Newsletter

Corporate Responsibility

Investor Relations

Culture & History

English

Visit Another Country or Region

Argentina
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Mexico
United States
Uruguay

Australia
Chinese Mainland
Hong Kong SAR
India
Indonesia
Japan
Korea
Malaysia
New Zealand
Pakistan
Philippines
Singapore
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam

Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Serbia
Slovakia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom

Bahrain
Botswana
Cameroon
Cote-D’Ivoire
Egypt
Ghana
Israel
Jordan
Kenya
Kuwait
Mali
Morocco
Namibia
Nigeria
Oman
Qatar
Rwanda
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
South Africa
Tanzania
Turkey
Uganda
United Arab Emirates
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Report | Intelligent Investment

European Self Storage Industry Report 2025

01 October 2025 3 Minute Read

European Self Storage Industry Report 2025

Industry Overview

Looking for a PDF of this content?

The European self storage sector continues to evolve, demonstrating resilience and adaptability amid economic and political challenges. In collaboration with FEDESSA, the 2025 report presents a comprehensive view of market dynamics, investment trends, operational performance, and consumer behaviour across 16 countries. Based on insights from over 5,000 survey participants, this edition offers insights into the sector’s growth trajectory, challenges, and outlook.

Key Findings

european-self-storage-industry-report-2025-icon1

Revenue per square metre grows by 5.4% across Europe

european-self-storage-industry-report-2025-icon2

European average occupancy down 0.8%

european-self-storage-industry-report-2025-icon3

Debtors at 30 days increases to 1.6%

european-self-storage-industry-report-2025-icon4

90% of self storage businesses actively using AI

european-self-storage-industry-report-2025-icon5

4% increase in personal use customers

european-self-storage-industry-report-2025-icon6

Increasing land costs of most concern to operators

european-self-storage-industry-report-2025-icon7

70% of operators expect rates and occupancy to improve over next 12 months

european-self-storage-industry-report-2025-icon8

Growth in remotely managed stores

Market Performance and Investment

Rental rates per square metre grew by 5.4% across Europe, reaching €312.56, outpacing the slight drop in average occupancy. Investment volumes normalised after a record-breaking 2024, with €260m transacted year-to-date and a further €200m in the pipeline.
Private equity now accounts for 59% of transactions, reflecting a shift in investor landscape.
Operators remain optimistic, with 70% expecting rates and occupancy to improve over the next 12 months, despite concerns over rising land costs and planning difficulties.

Technology and Store Features

90% of self storage businesses are actively using AI, not just for content creation but increasingly for pricing models, site selection, and data analytics.
Growth in remotely managed stores continues, enabled by advances in access control and remote management systems. Sweden leads with full remote management, while Austria and Germany see high adoption among micro stores.
Online services expand: Nearly half of operators now offer complete online booking and payment, with app usage more than doubling since last year.

Consumer Trends and Awareness

Personal use customers increased by 4%, marking a shift from commercial to individual storage needs.
Awareness remains a challenge: Only 29% of respondents know a reasonable amount about self storage, though awareness is highest in markets with concentrated store presence and strong marketing campaigns.
Social media and referrals are rising sources of awareness, especially among younger demographics, highlighting the need for multi-channel marketing strategies.

Contacts

Oliver Close

Senior Director, Self Storage

Phone +44 20 7182 2705

Mobile +44 7880 101 170

Email
Callum Paddock

Senior Director

Phone +44 2071828368

Mobile +44 (0)79 1723 3413

Email
Tasos Vezyridis

Head of Research, UK&I and Continental Europe

Email

View Profile
Lily Clark

Associate Director, UK Research

Email

Item 0 Item 1 Item 2 Item 3 Item 4 Item 5

About CBRE
Careers
Corporate Responsibility
Investor Relations
Newsroom
Brand Experience Center
Management Germany
Newsletter registration

Global Privacy and Cookie Notice
Terms of Use
General Terms & Conditions
Imprint
Our Response to Schrems II
Digital Accessibility
Responsible AI at CBRE
Protecting Your Data at CBRE

Copyright © 2026 CBRE. All rights reserved.