Type
Closure
Country
France
Region
Location of affected unit(s)
Sector
Retail
Retail Trade, Except Of Motor Vehicles And Motorcycles
Retail Sale Of Other Goods In Specialised Stores
47.71 - Retail sale of clothing in specialised stores

500 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
20 October 2020
Employment effect (start)
1 January 2021
Foreseen end date
30 June 2021

Description

The American clothing chain Gap has announced the closure of all its shops on the European continent due to the effects of the COVID-19 crisis, during a virtual meeting to which employees were invited to connect. This decision will lead to the closure of 21 stores and to the loss of 500 jobs in France, by July 2021. The source notes that 'employees' rights to information and consultation in case of dismissals' were not followed.

An employeee of Gap France reports that employees of the brand 'had expected a dark scenario', but this announcement has 'brought them down'. The details of the brand's withdrawal from Europe are expected to be discussed at a financial briefing of the American firm on Thursday, October 22.

Gap has already carried out a restructuring of its network, closing eight outlets in 2019, then three others in Paris at the beginning of 2020.


Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2020), Gap, Closure in France, factsheet number 102426, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/102426.