Fashion chains to open new outlets in ČR this year

Prague, March 12 (CTK) - Clothing and footwear retailers have plans to open tens of new stores in the Czech Republic this year, with some of them seeking expansion also to smaller towns, firms told CTK in a poll.

"Central Europe is a highly interesting market for us," said Katerina Papezova of the Czech unit of the Swedish clothing chain H&M.

H&M plans to launch six new stores all over the country.

"The brand is growing dynamically (in the region) and we feel there's still a lot of space for our development and that is why we will continue our expansion," she said.

The retailer may focus on smaller towns, she added. H&M wants to have 37 stores in the Czech Republic at the end of the year.

H&M turnover increased by 13 percent to Kc2.36bn last year, said the firm's annual report for 2012.

Blazek, a men's clothing retailer, will launch one outlet this year, in Prague's Centrum Cerny Most.

Blazek's marketing manager Lenka Stepankova said the firm now wants to stabilise the retail network, widen the assortment of goods in some of its outlets and further improve the quality of services.

KiK will launch 15 new stores in the country this year. "We see a potential in further expansion to areas and towns where we currently have no or just a few shops. Such places do exist," executive Jan Lansberg told CTK.

C&A Moda also has plans to expand its network this year. It will also focus on the reconstruction of the existing stores.

CCC retailer, which currently runs 61 shops, wants to raise the number to 100.

"We are set to become, within three years, number one on the Czech market for shoes and fashion accessories and get ahead of the current two biggest players, CCC Czech executive Roman Puchala said.

The sales projection of CCC for this year is Kc1bn.

Shoe retailer Deichmann will also open new stores.

Bushman will focus on foreign expansion, for instance, into Poland, Russia and possibly Scandinavia, said Katerina Svozilova of the company.

Fashion sales online are growing in the Czech Republic but the largest fashion retailers like C&A Moda, H&M and New Yorker do not operate e-shops.

More than 40 percent of Czechs predominantly buy clothing online, followed by toys, white goods and cosmetic and health care products, according to a survey of the price comparison site Heureka.cz and the agency NMS Market Research.

Clothing retailers in CR (March 2012)
retailer number of stores
KiK 167
Takko Fashion 100
Time Out 60
Orsay 49
New Yorker 46
Triumph 43
C&A 39
Kenvelo 37
Exe Jeans 36
H & M 31
Camaieu 28
Pietro Filipi 27
Blazek 26
Bushman 24
Terranova 23
Tally Weijl 21
Gant 20
Reserved 20
Marks & Spencer 19
Promod 19
Uncle Sam 18
Wrangler 18
Calzedonia 17
Euro Lidovka 16
Steilmann 16
United Colors of Benetton 16
Wrangler & Lee Store 15
Luggi 11
OP Prostejov 10

Source: Incoma GfK, retail chains