The anti-government rioting and unrest in Egypt has led to some retail and supply problems for British retailers.

Department stores Marks & Spencer and Debenhams have had to shut their stores in Cairo and Alexandria respectively, after violent protests broke out last week. The situation is being updated daily.

Some Egyptian textile factories have had to slow production or close completely, and there has been severe disruption to transport and communications.

Delta Galil Industries, which produces clothes for M&S and Debenhams, has closed its Cairo factory for two weeks.

One supplier, whose clients include M&S, Primark and Arcadia, said: “We can’t shift the goods. We’ve had goods waiting at the dock [Port Said] for days. We can’t get goods in the air, they’re only taking holidaymakers. To make matters worse we can’t get the paperwork needed to ship as there’s no internet.”

He said on Tuesday that orders had already been delayed for five days, including an “all-store” delivery for Arcadia.

However, Malcolm Ball, chairman of trade body the Association of Suppliers to the British Clothing Industry, said disruption was not as severe as feared. “If it started to gain momentum through Tunisia there would be serious concerns but so far it seems to be a velvet revolution.”

Topics