Moroccan Clothing Industry Struggles as Pandemic Slows Consumer Spending

Since the onset of the pandemic, retailers and merchants have struggled to clear their stocks of old collections and summer season products and articles. As for demand, the abrupt halt of activities during the lockdown has forced the Moroccan consumer to stick to essentials, such as food, rent, health, payment of school fees and others, according to the MAP.

"2020 was a nightmare for us," said Mohamed E., manager of a ready-to-wear store specializing in children’s clothing and located in the commercial district of Derb Omar in Casablanca, to the MAP. He continues: "We missed almost all the periods when business is usually at its peak, such as the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr or even the summer. Overall, we estimate that our turnover has fallen by more than 70% compared to 2019."

Some have turned to online sales, without success, reports the press agency, noting that thus, the seriousness of the situation forces stores to strive to liquidate their current stocks in order to prepare for the winter sales or to give themselves additional time, counting on the spring season of 2021, which everyone wants to be promising, especially with the arrival of the anti-Covid-19 vaccines. This year, the Moroccan Federation of Network Trade (FMCR) office sets the opening of the winter season on the 21st of this month, specifying that the postponement of these winter sales aims to give merchants additional time to clear their stocks.

Thus, the last hope of ready-to-wear professionals is the vaccination campaign that will allow the relaunch of the activity and the long-awaited return to normal.