International fast fashion brand ZARA is set to close an 11-year-old store in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China. Following the closure of this store, the number of ZARA stores in mainland China will decrease to around 53, a reduction of approximately 70% from its peak.
According to reports from “Jiemian News,” the ZARA store at Wanda Plaza in Panyu, Guangzhou, will close after its last day of business on July 24th. This store is the only directly operated ZARA store in the Panyu district. Once closed, ZARA will only have two stores left in Guangzhou, located at Tianhuan Plaza and Lefeng Plaza.
Data from the Chinese retail business website “Linkshop” indicates that in the first half of 2026 alone, ZARA has closed 10 stores in mainland China, including locations in Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Wenzhou, Changchun, and Nanchang. Additionally, ZARA has withdrawn from the markets in Wenzhou, Changchun, and Nanchang.
Specifically, the ZARA store at World Trade Mall in Beijing closed on April 30th. This store was the first one opened by ZARA when entering the Beijing market. When the Hangzhou West Creek Impression City store, which had operated for over 12 years, closed in January of this year, many consumers expressed nostalgia on social media, lamenting that “the fast fashion memories of their youth are fading away.”
ZARA entered the mainland Chinese market in 2006, reaching a peak of around 183 stores in 2018. Following the closure of the Guangzhou Panyu store, ZARA will only have approximately 53 stores in mainland China, representing a decrease of about 71% from its peak. The remaining stores are mainly concentrated in first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen.
Reuters previously reported that ZARA is currently reducing its underperforming stores and focusing resources on large flagship stores and online channels. Simultaneously, the slowdown in Chinese consumption and intensified competition from local brands are putting pressure on international clothing brands.
Meanwhile, other brands under ZARA’s parent company, the Spanish Inditex Group, such as Bershka, Pull&Bear, and Stradivarius, have also gradually exited the Chinese market.