First it was in China, then Europe and now it’s USA and Canada!
As the much-feared Coronavirus or COVID-19 spreads its deadly tentacles around the globe, more and more retailers are shutting stores and reducing working hours.
Bangladesh, which is a major supplier to the global brands, is now facing the heat like never before.
After reports of order reduction and cancellations by some retailers operating in Europe that has instilled fear among apparel exporters in Bangladesh, retailers in USA, North America and Canada seem to have become a new source of worry for them.
As per reports, names like Nike, Under Armour, Lululemon Athletica, Lands End, Columbia Sportswear and Gap have recently announced that they would shut down stores or reduce store hours across locations in the US and Canada due to rapid spread of Coronavirus.
Earlier, a host of brands and retailers in Europe including Primark and Inditex had shut their stores and reportedly informed suppliers in Bangladesh to hold shipments.
“Now we are in fear of further hit in export from the US as retailers there started closing down their stores in the market. If the US retailers start putting shipments on hold and cut quantity or cancel orders, the operations of factories may be halted,” expressed apprehensions a prominent apparel exporter of Bangladesh speaking to the media.
