After Mumbai, UNIQLO India may consider opening stores in Pune next

UNIQLO India may consider opening its stores in Pune next after entering Mumbai, as it is easier for the retailer to do so due to its proximity to the island city.

“It is one good city to expand as it makes operations easier,” UNIQLO India CEO Tomohiko Sei told Business Standard in an interview.

After expanding in the north, the Japanese retailer is set to open its first store in Mumbai on October 6 and still believes there is room to open more stores within the city.

However, Sei highlighted that the challenge the company faces in the country is the lack of space and finding space at the right price. But this isn't solely a country-specific issue; it is now a global concern.

In FY22, UNIQLO India’s sales stood at Rs 389 crore, up from Rs 236 crore in FY21, marking a rise of 65 per cent.

After opening two stores in Mumbai by the end of 2023, UNIQLO’s total store count in the country will reach 12. To date, all its 10 stores in India are located in the northern region – eight in Delhi NCR, and one each in Lucknow and Chandigarh. Its first store in the country opened in 2019.