International apparel retailers, especially discount ones, have expanded further over the past two years despite the shrinking shopping budgets, so that 17 of the largest store networks at European level have come to operate 175 stores in Romania, reveals a ZF survey.

These companies, such as Inditex, C&A or Marks & Spencer, are European leaders in terms of apparel sales, having joint annual turnovers of over 50bn euros and networks of around 18,000 stores.

However, not all networks have expanded domestically. Thus, while Takko, Orsay or New Yorker have come to operate networks of 20-30 stores, Italy's Benetton have closed down all the 13 stores of Romania, with the brand being present domestically only through three franchise stores.

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