H&M Will Lower Prices And Elevate Retail In New Strategy

H&M is making a controversial move: slashing prices while promising to maintain the quality of its clothing. This strategy, announced under the leadership of new CEO Daniel Ervér, focuses on affordability to boost profitability. The announcement comes amid a challenging retail landscape where fast fashion brands are criticized for their environmental impact and poor working conditions (rightly so).

For the first quarter, the Swedish multinational fashion retailer reported declining net sales to 53,699 million Swedish krona, per FashionUnited. However, gross profit rose by 7%, reaching 27,655 million Swedish krona with a gross margin of 51.5%. Operating profit also saw an increase to 2,077 million Swedish krona. Despite these gains, the company's sales from March 1 to March 25, 2024, only grew by 2% in local currencies compared to last year.

Still, Ervér is staying optimistic about the company’s progress. “Development continued in the right direction in the first quarter,” he noted, adding that H&M plans to refurbish around 250 stores globally this year, including in major cities like New York, London, Berlin, and Stockholm.

The real question is how H&M’s pricing strategy will play out. You can find cute tops and pants in U.S. stores under $30, some are more depending on the style and quality. For the retailer, the challenge is finding the balance between lowering prices and maintaining quality while protecting factory workers.

H&M's strategy will offer more accessible prices while elevating its brand perception to reflect its broader strategy. “This is where we want to make what’s inaccessible for the many accessible for the many, by having that friction between what is premium but at a very accessible price. We want to build this brand position,” Ervér said in a statement.

Yet, with this new approach, H&M faces the ongoing challenge of addressing the darker side of fast fashion. Many brands – including H&M – have been linked to ethical issues such as forced and child labor. Reports of child labor in Myanmar and other unethical practices in the fashion industry cast a shadow over the sector. H&M has faced scrutiny in the past, and the industry as a whole has been criticized for its links to forced labor and poor working conditions.

As H&M shifts to a new strategy, it must also contend with its reputation and the broader implications of its supply chain practices. The company’s focus on making fashion more accessible might resonate with some customers, but the persistent ethical concerns could affect how the brand is perceived in the long run.

So, will H&M’s strategy succeed? Only time will tell. While the move to lower prices may prove successful amidst rising costs, growing awareness of poor labor conditions – especially among younger consumers educated through social media – might lead more people to choose conscious and ethical brands.

Subscribe today to get unlimited access to all of Evie’s premium content.