In Spain, Zara workers are protesting against the closure of stores The fast fashion giant is expected to shut down 700 European stores within the year

Inditex, the group that owns Zara, Bershka, Pull&Bear, Stradivarius, Massimo Dutti and other brands, announced last June that it would close over 1,200 stores worldwide in 2021. The group's plan provides for the closure of smaller stores and in areas that are not particularly strategic, favouring large flagship stores in historic centres and very busy areas. In Europe, closures will amount to around 700 stores this year, and one of the first countries where measures have been taking place is Spain, where 114 stores are expected to close, measures that would leave 986 people without a job, not to mention the possible closure of 186 outlets in the upcoming months. According to statements by two of the country's most important unions, UGT and CCOO, the fast-fashion giant is not respecting the agreements.  

As nss magazine reported back in October 2020, despite a complicated situation and not rosy forecasts for the future of the sector, the pandemic didn't destroy fast fashion. On the other hand, the health emergency seems to have accentuated some focal points on which the most important brands of the industry will begin to work in the future, the first of which will be the strengthening of e-commerce, to the detriment of physical stores. Inditex, the most important fast-fashion group in the world in terms of revenue - recently overtaken by Uniqlo in terms of capitalization - since 2012 has expanded its network of stores exponentially, starting from 1942 sales point to the current 7199 stores. The group, however, said that between 2020 and 2022 only 450 new stores will be opened, given the growth in online sales.

Negotiations with trade unions are still taking place all over Europe, given the imminent closure of hundreds of stores. An Inditex spokesman said maintaining employment for existing workers was a priority wherever there were closures. But as the recent protests in Spain show, the workers of the group don't feel protected at all.