Clarks’ Indian departure — what went wrong?
At , one of Clarks’ popular styles, the ATL Coast Wave Olive, will no longer be available in India as the brand closes its stores. Image: Clarks India.
A report from Yahoo Finance on August 27, 2024, reveals that Clarks, the iconic British footwear brand, is closing its stores in India due to "differences over terms" with its local partner, Reliance Retail.
This unexpected development underscores the critical importance of aligning with local partners and effectively managing partnership dynamics when expanding into new markets.
A Brief History of Clarks in India
Clarks and Reliance Retail began their joint venture in 2022, which lasted for approximately two years, ending in 2024. However, Clarks had initially entered the Indian market in 2009 through a partnership with Future Group. After Future Group encountered financial difficulties, Clarks switched to Reliance Brands in 2022. The quick changes in partnerships show the difficulties Clarks had in establishing a stable presence in the Indian market.
Clarks is a renowned British footwear company founded in 1825. With a global presence in 75 countries and over 1,000 stores worldwide, the company is known for its high-quality shoes and has been a mainstay in the footwear industry for nearly two centuries.
Who is Reliance Retail?
Reliance Retail is India’s largest retailer, operating a variety of store formats, including grocery, electronics, fashion, and jewellery. The company has a strong online presence and collaborates with international brands to cater to India’s diverse consumer market.
The Indian Market - Opportunities and Challenges
India, the world’s second-most populous country, boasts a diverse economy, a growing middle class, and a rapidly expanding e-commerce market. While these factors make India an attractive destination for international brands, the country’s complex retail landscape and diverse consumer preferences present significant challenges.
Collaborating with Local Partners
Clarks’ departure from India underscores the importance of effective partnerships for global brands entering new markets. Even established companies can encounter difficulties if they fail to align with local partners on business strategies, brand positioning, and expectations. Clarks’ experience with Reliance Retail suggests that neglecting these aspects can result in unresolved conflicts and potentially lead to market withdrawal. This serves as a reminder for international brands that success in diverse markets like India requires thoughtfully selecting and managing local partnerships and navigating complex business environments.
Footwear Industry Articles
- Comrades Expo 2026
Durban, KZN, SA – The exhibitor list at the Comrades Expo, from 11-13 June, has shown an evolution in the types of companies exhibiting. Just 1 running footwear supplier, Ikhambi Distribution, promoting its Hoka brand, was there.Technical sock suppliers, however, were well represented, with Balega, Falke, Sox Footwear and The Hirst ...morePalm Footwear: ‘One family’Palm Footwear was founded in July 1966 by Kasie Pattundeen, with 18 staff, making slippers.60 years later, with over 800 staff, it is among the biggest employers in the SA footwear industry and among the biggest manufacturers by volume.It remains a family business, headed by Rajeev and Kiran Pattundeen, with their children, Srishti and Rt ...moreSAFLEC AGM 2026: Strengthening of relationships between industry organisations and government a key development
This has been a defining year for the South African Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC). It has been a year of innovation, collaboration and meaningful progress, where together with our members and strategic partners, we have continued to strengthen the competitiveness of South Africa's footwear and leather industry while creat ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- The leather value chain offers opportunities for all SADC countriesThe Southern African Regional Leather Network (SARLEN) and the SADC Leather Forum present a great opportunity for the development of the leather value chains (LVCs) in all or most SADC states, whose LVCs are at different stages of development.in Zimbabwe we already have a well-structured LVC coordinated by an apex body, the Zimbabwe Leath ...moreLuxury or notWe hear from all sides that the leather industry is not doing too well and the conflict in the Middle East is definitely not improving the situation. The present wars have a huge impact on inflation and hence on the buying power of consumers with negative consequences for the luxury industry whose shares we have seen tumbling at the vario ...moreZimbabwe Leather Development Council lobbies for Government contracts
The Zimbabwe Leather Development Council (ZLDC) is lobbying policymakers to open up public procurement contracts to local leather manufacturers, arguing that Government contracts are essential to reviving the country’s struggling leather value chain.Speaking on the sidelines of the Zimbabwe Industrialisation Conference and Expo (ZIC ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- CONSIDERING A PPE MATRIX
What Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) do we need to have on site to reduce and manage the workplace and environmental exposure risks to our employees?Safety and mining legislation place the responsibility on employers to ensure that they provide and maintain working environments that are safe and without risk to the health on employees ...moreFurther controls over the import of safety footwear are on the wayOn 03 August 2026, the Safety Footwear Working Group, led by SAFLIA, submitted a request to Minister Tau (dtic) for interim import control measures in respect of specified safety footwear. The request was strongly supported by organised labour and other industry stakeholders.The application was further strengthened by contributions f ...moreChina-made firefighting equipment now needs verification of conformity with SANS standardsPretoria, Gauteng, SA – Firefighting equipment is among the 25 product categories published on 01 April by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition for a mandatory Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) Programme.The system will require certain goods shipped from China to be tested and certified before they enter the ...more
