Asics has decided to end relations with some retailers in Europe, starting with deliveries planned for January 2022 and afterwards, citing “unprecedented demand for our products,” combined with a challenging Covid-19 situation in many of its production countries.
Running is booming, and as we have already reported, new supply chain constraints have emerged in countries such as Vietnam or Indonesia. Therefore, the message from the Japanese brand sounds different from that of big players such as Nike and Adidas, which have not given such reasons for cutting off minor or “undifferentiated” wholesale partners while working more closely with major international retailers and boosting their direct-to-consumer operations.
However, a spokesperson for Asics EMEA declined to say whether the apparent clean-up should only be regarded as a temporary measure. She also declined to mention the criteria that Asics was using in its more selective distribution policy. A statement from the company only said that the new supply challenges have forced it to “revise how we work with our customers to ensure we can deliver and provide the best experience.”
The affected retailers have been informed directly, said the spokeswoman, reacting to reports in the Spanish trade press that about 100 Spanish retailers and buying groups had received a letter from Scott Wakefield, executive vice president in charge of sales at Asics EMEA, announcing the end of relations within the next six months.
