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Ten months of the crown have hit the country’s stores hard. Now the garment industry demands a meeting with the government to obtain better support measures.
– It’s been a terrible year, says Indiska CEO Karin Lindahl.
In March and April, city centers, shopping malls and shopping malls echoed empty as the corona virus began to spread in the community.
Nine months after the pandemic, in November, stores were emptied of people again.
– This time there will be a double crisis. One is that the government advises people not to go to the stores and the other to participate in social gatherings. Those of us who sell clothes, of course, get hit hard because people don’t care what they’re wearing, says Karin Lindahl, Indiska’s CEO.
Photo: PETER WIXTRÖM
Karin Lindahl, CEO of the Indiska clothing chain, along with several others in the fashion, footwear and sports trade, signed an open letter to Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson in hopes that the government will provide further support to the industry. .
“I was calm in the stores”
She is one of several representatives of the fashion, footwear and sports sector that in an open letter demand to meet with the Minister of Finance Magdalena Andersson (S). Representatives want the opportunity to describe the dire situation the industry is in.
Decisions have been made to reduce the spread of the infection. Isn’t that good?
– We respect the restrictions, but we think it was a shame that they spoke very harshly about the stores. We experience that it has been quiet in stores all year long, even before the pandemic. Congestion hasn’t been a problem in the industry for a long time, says Karin Lindahl.
But during Black Friday, images of congestion were shown in shopping malls. what do you think about it?
– There is probably only one mall or shopping center where many people queued. But those images are far fewer than those of a deserted hallway in a shopping mall.
You want better action
With the letter, the garment industry also wants to emphasize that parts of the support measures that are available do not bite. Today, a loss of 30-50 percent is required to take advantage of fit support, which has made it possible to obtain it precisely in fashion, footwear and sports.
– We think the cap in some months would have to be at a drop of maybe 10-20 percent to allow more players to come into play, says Karin Lindahl.
Short-term layoffs are also a part that really doesn’t work in business. There, they would have preferred to receive help with personnel costs.
– Nor can we use reduced opening hours as we did last spring. Now the recommendation is to extend the opening hours to avoid congestion and then the support does not bite, he says.
Another problem according to industry representatives is that it has taken a long time to receive support. Many are still waiting for the money that was requested for this summer.
Optimistic for next year
In the last month, India has lost about 50 percent of store visitors and in the last year about 30 percent. Karin Lindahl says she is aware that there is a responsibility to switch to e-commerce and that it has already started.
– Ideally, we would invest even more in the change than we did, but the situation at the moment with large sales losses in stores limits the possibility.
What do you think of the future?
– Clearly it seems that 2020 was a lost year. But I’m still pretty convinced that it will change in 2021, says Karin Lindahl.
Aftonbladet has sought out Magdalena Andersson, whose press secretary also refers to the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Ibrahim Baylan. In a text message, the minister defends the government’s policy. It highlights that so far they have presented crisis measures of 200,000 million Swedish crowns and that in a short time they have launched various financial support that will help entrepreneurs.
“The government was also able to make several important announcements recently about the extension of financial measures to save Swedish jobs and businesses. This applies, among other things, to adjustment support and short-term work support, ”writes Ibrahim Baylan through his press secretary.
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