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Essen (dpa) - Since the Corona federal emergency brake has been applied, fashion retailers have been complaining about the "third disaster season" in a row.

As with the first lockdown a year ago and during the Christmas season, mountains of trousers, skirts and jackets are threatened to remain in the shops.

As soon as the shops are allowed to reopen, rosy times could begin for bargain hunters. In any case, the head of the department store group Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof (GKK), Miguel Müllenbach, expects major discount campaigns in the fashion trade. “There is currently a lot of pressure on goods, especially in textiles,” he told the “Bild” newspaper (Wednesday). The camps are overfull. "We will see more discount campaigns in clothing than ever before."

The fashion discounter Takko is also expecting noticeable price reductions.

"We have stored goods that we could not sell in winter due to the extensive lockdown and will distribute them to our branches again for the next autumn / winter season," said a spokeswoman.

Takko was able to sell "at least some of" the spring and summer fashion.

But because there is no sustainable opening prospect for the shops, “we also expect additional discounts and promotions as soon as the shops are allowed to open again to larger customer traffic”.

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According to the Textile Trade Association (BTE), who could take part in a discount battle in the fashion trade has not yet been identified. "The strategies are different," emphasized BTE spokesman Axel Augustin. "Some say we'll pack the goods away, others try to clear the warehouse." For smaller dealers who get bridging aid from the federal government, the selling pressure may be less than with a big one like Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof. But also for the little ones: "The longer the lockdown, the higher the pressure."

GKK boss Müllenbach does not rule out that the last large German department store chain may need further state help in order to survive.

"If the lockdown continues, we will need additional funding."

Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof received a loan of up to 460 million euros from the state economic stabilization fund (WSF) at the beginning of the year.

According to Marco Atzberger, the head of the Cologne retail research institute EHI, high-quality fashion in particular is likely to get stuck on the clothes racks in shops.

"The demand has disappeared, it's not just a short-term dent."

Anyone who works from home after Corona does not need an expensive business suit.

And when big celebrations with the appropriate cloakroom are possible again, it is written in the stars.

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In addition, the significantly faster change of collections is causing problems for the fashion trade, says retail expert Atzberger.

That is why the shops have to let go of the pressure: "And normally that happens through the price."

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210428-99-389028 / 2