Fit-To-Try days have Gone By as Shop owners on Spain’s Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca refuse to let customers in the changing rooms

Retails fashion shops and sports shops worried about the Coronavirus are keeping changing rooms closed until further notice.

CONFUSED with the new rules regarding social distancing and personal contact most fashion and sports shops across Spain’s Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca are not allowing customers to try on garments fearing they could get fined or sanctioned. #catalonia

Kyle Benton, a senior college lecturer from Madrid contacted me today to tell me he had been out for the first time in months to a gentleman’s clothes shop in the centre of Madrid. He was intent on buying a new shirt for college that he saw offered in the sales, he always buys expensive ones “because they last” he said.

Upon entering the shop, which at the moment we cannot legally mention, the assistant informed him he had to use the sanitiser and put on the supplied plastic gloves, which he did.

After browsing through a rack of shirts he spotted one he liked and asked where the changing room was, this is when the trouble began…

“I’m sorry sir, we cannot allow you to try the shirt on due to the coronavirus crisis,” said the young assistant.

“Where does it say that?” said Kyle. “I’ve seen nothing to suggest that.” He asked to see the manager who repeated what the assistant said and then decided to walk out. After asking around and browsing the internet it soon became clear that there the law is muddy on this subject and it looks like the government are leaving it to the individual shops to make the decision.

Most retailers expect and allow for a percentage of items to be returned for an exchange or a refund, even online stores. If the items cannot be resold does that mean they will be destroyed? If so, then prices will certainly have to rise.

Second-hand clothes are often given to charity shops, are they safe now? It will be interesting to see if this present trend continues across Spain or indeed, the world.

After all, would you wear something that someone else has tried on?

#Spain #Costa del Sol #Costa Blanca