Zara Case Study
By Anna Pacilio
With over 2,000 stores across nearly 100 countries, Zara has established a name for itself in the fashion industry. From the means of production to marketing and the experience of in-store shopping, what is Zara not telling us and how do they get away with it?
When considering a brand with a magnitude like Zara, it is important to ask how is it treating its workers and the environment. Zara’s parent company, Inditex, has asserted a reuse and repair program known as “Closing the Loop” which offers customers a chance to drop off used clothing in-store or through the mail for the clothes to be reused. Zara also utilizes recycled packaging, but beyond these two upsides, there is no evidence that this approach minimizes textile waste when manufacturing products. Although the brand has established a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions stemming from its own operations, the brand is not on track to meet this target. This environmental disregard and “all talk” attitude worsens the image cultivated by the brand’s fast-fashion traits.
As for Zara’s labor conditions, the brand banks on the security of offering minimal transparency. Publishing a list of suppliers in the final stage of production and information about the findings of their supplier audits are successes offset by concealed information about forced labor, gender inequality, and freedom of association. Some accurate allegations about Zara’s degrading labor abuses, like subjecting workers to forced labor camps in China and fenced plants in Brazil, have been made. However, they have not been publicized to an adequate extent in order to hold the brand accountable, and Inditex has not effectively enforced its code of conduct.
Zara’s drawbacks raise the question, how does the brand mitigate decline and remain popular? In recent years, Zara has capitalized on the “TikTok Made Me Buy It” phenomenon. Many retailers have similarly turned viral TikTok videos into sales. This approach allowed Zara to protect and largely maintain its revenue during the pandemic. People have gone viral for documenting Zara’s colorful new collections, and specific items like a pink slip dress or a sequin tank top. Beyond these special pieces and collections that helped propel Zara’s social media presence, the brand is consistently revered for its inexpensive yet trendy jeans. These days, the internet is overrun with captions like “Five Must-Haves From Zara” and “Why You Need These Zara Jeans.”
Zara’s prices open the door to trying new fashion styles without an enormous financial commitment. I know countless girls from my hometown who graduated from skinny jeans and found their first few pairs of flare, wide-leg, or distressed jeans from Zara. They were able to purchase several pairs for the price of one from Pistola or Mother, brands considered “designer-denim.” The store subconsciously encourages shoppers to think creatively, from the uniquely bright storefront lighting to the minimalist interior design and the way colorful clothing is carefully grouped together when it is not overrun and messy. Zara even has a collection of secret pilot stores at its headquarters in northern Spain, where architects and visual-merchandising experts mock-up designs for their real stores. Zara is meticulous about the methods by which its stores captivate shoppers.
Debunking this duplicity is essential because it obscures information about the brand’s business model as well as its treatment of employees and the environment. I believe that this task falls into the hands of young social media users, who can kick the legs out from under Zara’s social media presence. Using the same device that helped secure success to hold the brand accountable may turn the tide enough to deter shopping at Zara or at the very least, deter shopping until the brand becomes more transparent and ethical.