The Business of Fashion
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Chinese authorities have alleged that a number of Western fashion brands are selling substandard children’s products, including clothing, South China Morning Post reports.
The announcement marks the latest chapter in the ongoing rift between China’s government and Western fashion brands after the likes of H&M and Nike disavowed the alleged use of forced labour in China’s Xinjiang region, drawing backlash and calls for boycotts in the mainland.
In a notice published online, the country’s General Administration of Customs said it confiscated, destroyed or returned products including apparel, footwear and toys found in 81 batches of imported childrenswear, following quality checks conducted between last June and May 2021.
Batches of clothing from H&M, Zara and Nike were said to have contained harmful dyes, the Post wrote, adding that similar problems were found with Gap and Gu (Uniqlo’s sister brand) products.
With consumers tightening their belts in China, the battle between global fast fashion brands and local high street giants has intensified.
Investors are bracing for a steep slowdown in luxury sales when luxury companies report their first quarter results, reflecting lacklustre Chinese demand.
The French beauty giant’s two latest deals are part of a wider M&A push by global players to capture a larger slice of the China market, targeting buzzy high-end brands that offer products with distinctive Chinese elements.
Post-Covid spend by US tourists in Europe has surged past 2019 levels. Chinese travellers, by contrast, have largely favoured domestic and regional destinations like Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan.