Clothes, shoes retailers among hardest hit by 2-week lockdown: industry group

MANILA - Non-essential retailers such as shoes and apparel brands are among the hardest hit by the new 2-week Metro Manila lockdown, the Philippine Retailers Association said Monday.

Even the essential sectors, allowed to operate during the enhanced community quarantine, are experiencing setbacks due to consumers' mobility constraints, Philippine Retailers Association president Rosemarie Ong told ANC. 

Ong said non-essential retailers account for 60 percent of PRA's members. 

"The non-essential sectors are really the hardest hit," Ong said.

"It’s been a challenge and it’s a good thing that many of the retailers have pivoted and accelerated their online presence," Ong added. 

The pandemic has also pushed retail space vacancy into a high of 16 percent "which is highest since 2002," she said.

Although malls are giving rental reprive, and retailers are reducing offline footprints to focus online, these are "not enough still" to boost recovery, Ong said. 

Due to the 2-week lockdown, recovery is likely to happen in 2022 or 2023, she said. 

Metro Manila will be under ECQ from Aug. 6 to Aug. 20 to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

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