Shanghai fashion stores struggle to clear stock

Almost a month since Shanghai lifted its strict Covid-19 lockdowns, fashion retailers are stuck with piles of unsold stock as cautious consumers stay away from the commercial hub's glitzy shopping districts.

Curbs to stop the virus in Shanghai, China's fashion capital, ground the city of 25 million to a halt in April and May, leaving clothing and beauty product displays in stores untouched and containers of imported apparel stranded at port.

The city's re-opening this month saw a flood of goods ship from warehouses to store shelves already laden with merchandise unsold during two months of lockdown. Normally around a fifth of all imported goods coming into China pass through Shanghai's port.

Days after Covid-19 curbs eased, large "sales" signs went up across Shanghai, with retailers from Lululemon to Victoria's Secret offering discounts to lure shoppers.

Curbs to stop the coronavirus in Shanghai, China's fashion capital, ground the city of 25 million to a halt in April and May

Even online retailers have struggled to clear a glut caused by lockdowns and supply interruptions.

"This affected us a lot," said Josh Gardner, founder and chief executive of China market e-commerce partner Kung Fu Data, which manages online stores for 10 fashion brands, including G-Star Raw.

"In April, May on (China's major e-commerce) platforms, there wasn't a t-shirt to be found, we were sold out of summer stock and so was everyone else, there was just no product," he said.