Yesterday saw many factory workers in China return to work following the Chinese New Year national holidays. However, the spread of Coronavirus is still causing concern to retailers, who are worried about shipping logistics during this time.

William Dicks from the BBSA said, “The timing of the Coronavirus is likely to have been exacerbated by the Chinese New Year national holidays, which spread factory workers far and wide throughout the country as they returned to their homes to celebrate with family and friends.”

“All BBSA member suppliers are long-established brands with experience in dealing with Chinese New Year and unexpected events. Retailers should be reassured that all suppliers are working closely with their factories to minimise disruption and to ship dresses on time.”

However, many retailers and suppliers fear the Coronavirus outbreak could cause severe disruption to the industry alongside a general threat to health.

According to the CDC there is little or no risk of transference of the Coronavirus from products shipped from China to the UK. The Coronavirus will not survive on a surface for more than a few hours, so any goods shipped from China, which will take at least several days, are safe to handle without any additional safety measures required.