Clothing sector suffers amid less sales, low demand

AMMAN — Retailers and shopkeepers are still facing “tremendous” challenges, as shoppers have reined in their spending, according to the Textile, Readymade Clothes and Footwear Syndicate.

President of the Textile, Readymade Clothes and Footwear Syndicate Sultan Allan told The Jordan Times that “there is an unprecedented recession in the market and even as retailers offer discounts of over 50 per cent, sales did not increase”.

He added that having sales season that early this year “is a clear indication of poor sales and low purchasing power”.

Asad Qawasmi, representative of the clothing, footwear and jewellery sector at the Jordan Chamber of Commerce (JCC), said that “demand for clothes is weak, as people are cutting their spending, and already their purchasing power is low amid current economic conditions.

He said that despite the fact that sector imports have increased, low purchasing power led to the accumulation of merchandise at commercial storage facilities.

“The volume of imports during the first half of 2022 reached JD150 million, increasing by around 40 per cent when compared with last year,” he added.

Difficult economic conditions heightened the shift towards outlet stores and shops in Jordan, and most people have stopped buying clothes that often, all of which affects apparel stores and shops, said Amer Saif, an employee at a clothing store.

“We are barely having any customers. September has been the hardest hit since the start of 2022,” Said told The Jordan Times on Tuesday.

In Jordan, there around 14,000 traders and 4,000 exporters who work in the apparel industry, which employs over 60,000 workers 97 per cent of which are Jordanians.