Simon Hunter
SPANISH clothing giant Inditex, which is the parent group of brands such as Zara and Bershka, is to make its return to Ukraine after a two-year closure prompted by the Russian invasion.
Sources from the company, which was founded by billionaire Galician businessman Amancio Ortega, told news agency Europa Press that the process of reopening of both physical and online stores will be ‘gradual’ and will begin on April 1.
The closure of the group’s businesses in Ukraine became a reality on February 24, 2022, the day that Russia invaded the country.
The plan now is to open the 20 or so stores from seven of its brands (including three Zara shops) in the Kiev area, and then to open its stores in Lviv.
According to a report in the Financial Times, the group could reopen as many as 50 of the 80 stores it has across the country over the coming months.
The same sources told Europa Press that the priority of the group will continue to be ‘the safety of its employees and customers’.
The news agency reported that Inditex implemented a special plan to support not just its staff in the war-stricken country, but also their families, and has been guaranteeing their jobs and salaries over the last two years.
Other fashion brands have been operating in Ukraine for some months now, including Swedish multinational H&M.
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