Spanish fashion group Inditex, which owns the Zara brand, Swedish group H&M, and Dutch group C&A control 15% of the local clothing and footwear market.

They had a total turnover of some RON 2.3 billion (EUR 510 million) billion last year, according to market research firm Euromonitor, reports local Ziarul Financiar. Romania’s fashion market was estimated at EUR 3.3 billion in 2015.

“Romanians are passionate about fashion, and unlike the Czechs and Poles, they are more willing to spend money on clothes,” said Ralf Wein, H&M regional director.

Romania is thus considered a key market for all the players in the fashion industry, although the average salary in the country is only EUR 400, among the lowest in Europe.

editor@romania-insider.com