The Italian firm Benetton is facing a significant restructuring this 2025 that involves the closure of around 500 stores worldwide, due to a combination of economic, organizational and strategic challenges within the company.
The last few fiscal years have been particularly tough, with losses amounting to 230 million euros in 2023 and around 100 million in 2024.
In an attempt to reverse this situation, Claudio Sforza took over as CEO in June 2024, with the mission to lead a profound transformation and revitalization of the brand. The turnaround strategy includes a shift towards a stronger e-commerce presence, away from the traditional focus on physical stores.
This change in the top management coincided with the departure of Luciano Benetton from the presidency of the family group in May 2024, marking a historic milestone as it was the first time the company operated without a direct member of the founding family at the helm.
In the Spanish context, labor unions have held lengthy talks to agree on the terms of a Redundancy Program (Expediente de Regulación de Empleo, ERE) that will affect 31 stores and 138 employees. Catalonia will see the closure of five stores in Barcelona, Girona and Lleida.
This reduction represents approximately 15% of Benetton’s store network, following a period of negative financial results and a decline in its competitive capacity against large sector rivals such as Inditex, H&M and Fast Retailing (Uniqlo).
The 31 stores to be closed in Spain, depending on the expiration of the leases, are as follows:
- Girona.
- Sabadell.
- Sant Cugat.
- Lleida
- Mataró.
- Calpe.
- Barakaldo Outlet.
- Burgos (El Cid)
- Puente Tocinos, Murcia (Atalayas Shopping Center).
- Santander.
- Granada (Recogidas Street).
- Gijón.
- Alfafar.
- Victoria.
- Córdoba (Gran Capitán Avenue).
- Córdoba (La Sierra Shopping Center).
- Logroño (Rioja Shopping Center).
- Vinaroz.
- Gandía.
- Zaragoza (San Ignacio Street).
- Castellón (En Medio Street).
- Santiago de Compostela (AS Cancelas Shopping Center).
- Ibiza.
- Valladolid (Vallsur Shopping Center).
- Teruel.
- Madrid (Plaza Rio Shopping Center).
- Narón, A Coruña (Odeón Shopping Center).
- Alcorcón, Madrid (Tres Aguas Shopping Center).
- Mairena del Aljarafe, Seville (Metromar Shopping Center).
- Badajoz (El Faro Shopping Center).
- Rivas-Vaciamadrid, Madrid (Rivas Futura Shopping Park).