C&A shuts down all stores in Turkey

Dutch fashion chain C&A has announced to cease all of its Turkish activities. The chain’s 24 Turkish stores will be shut down or sold to a Turkish competitor.

Difficult market conditions

C&A has been active in Turkey since 2007, with most of its stores in and around Istanbul. It has already found a buyer for most of its stores (and its employees) in Turkish fashion chain DeFacto. “Even though C&A Turkey manages decent turnover results, the local market conditions are still a challenge“, C&A Europe COO, Tjeerd van der Zee, said on the company’s decision to pull out of the country. 

C&A wants to focus on its European expansion now. Currently, the chain has 1,575 stores in 19 European countries, of which 139 are in Belgium and 133 in the Netherlands. More than 35,000 people work for C&A Europe. The recent terrorist attacks in Istanbul have nothing to do with the decision, the company said.