UK clothing label George hits local shelves, today

FMCG SUPPLIER NEWS

Issued by Brunswick South Africa on behalf of Massmart-Walmart - Oct 23rd, 12:51

Massmart will open the doors to three George pop up stores today, to give South African consumers a taste of the famous British brand of clothing. 

Known for its quality and affordability, George is the fashion division of ASDA, currently Britain’s second largest supermarket chain and part of the Walmart family.

For the launch of this internationally-recognised brand, three temporary pop up shops have been set up at Cresta Shopping Centre in Johannesburg, Galleria Shopping Mall in Amanzimtoti and Cape Gate Shopping Centre in Cape Town. The pop up stores will showcase a limited range of clothing from George, giving South Africans a small taste of the brand, and its remarkable quality.

Massmart CEO Grant Pattison says this is a good initiative that provides an excellent example of how access to Walmart intellectual property has essentially enabled Massmart to rapidly and cost effectively identify a compelling clothing proposition from a pre-selected range.

“Part of being in the Walmart family means we can try new things with lower exposure to risk. Our customers have also called for a total shop – one store that offers everything, this provided the perfect opportunity to do this,” Pattison says.

“This is a proven, good quality and affordable brand that benefits from the input and expertise of buyers with extensive experience in clothing. Access to this expertise makes it easier to develop a competitive local offering,” he said.

All three temporary stores will be running for up to three months or until stocks last. This however does not mean that George will come to an end, from the end of November, George baby clothes and George essentials (socks and underwear) will be available at Game, while Makro will stock the babywear.

Over the past two decades, George has developed into a household name in the UK, says Keren Long, George Brand Development Director. “We have built up incredible trust with our customers, and cemented a robust reputation for offering quality, stylish clothing at incredible value for money. It is this proposition we are hoping to bring to our South African consumers.”

All exchanges and returns for items purchased from the temporary stores can be made at Game stores. Massmart will approach the continued rollout based on the success of the range.