Warm autumn causes more clothes in winter sales

At the start of Belgium’s winter sales, 7 % more clothes still need to find a new owner compared to 2018. The warm autumn has stopped people from shopping.

Half of fashion stores see turnover decrease

As usual: what is good news for discount hunters, is less appealing to fashion retailers. The NSZ, representing independent retailers, asked its members how turnover fared: half of the 556 respondents saw a decrease, while one in three kept turnover stable. Just one in five saw their turnover grow. Similarly, ModeUnie saw a decrease in 60 % of its members, and one in three does not even see improvement in the winter sales.

Trade federation Comeos, which focuses more on the larger chains, mentions a “winter season with highs and lows”, but their members too have more stock than last year. Comeos points to the warm weather, but also to the yellow vests: “Especially in Brussels sales decreased with a quarter during manifestations”. Black Friday was a good day for Belgian chains, but “before and after that day there was a lull in sales.”