Gap bucks retail headwinds with massive China expansion amid localisation drive

AI Summary

US apparel brand Gap plans to expand significantly in China by opening 50 new stores this year and returning to Hong Kong, defying industry trends of store closures. The expansion follows a localization strategy to better appeal to Chinese consumers amid sluggish retail sales.

Amid widespread store closures by foreign fast-fashion players in China, US apparel brand Gap is defying industry headwinds. It plans to open 50 new stores in mainland China this year and return to Hong Kong by year’s end, following a localisation overhaul that has attracted more Chinese consumers. This expansion comes at a time when the world’s second-largest consumer market faces sluggish overall retail sales, with brands such as Zara and H&M scaling back their number of stores. With Gap...