The Clothing Retail Industry in Oslo: Companies, Statistics, and Outlook

The clothing retail industry in Oslo is an important part of the city's retail sector, with over 1374 registered companies. The industry has been marked by both strong growth and challenges in recent years, with a dramatic decline in sales and number of employees in 2025–2026. While large international chains such as H&M and Inditex have remained stable, several smaller companies have gone bankrupt. This shows a mix of resilience and instability in the industry.

Sales and Employees

Sales in the clothing retail industry in Oslo have fallen by 87.9% from 2025 to 2026, a drastic decline reflecting major challenges. The number of employees has also fallen by 7.5% during the same period. This shows a clear decline in activity, despite growth of 2.4% from 2025 to 2026.

Major Companies in the Industry

• Inditex Norge As Avd Øvre Slottsgate: 138 employees, sales of 415.9M NOK, EBITDA of 83.3M NOK.
• H&M Hennes & Mauritz As: 207 employees total (two departments), sales of 357.9M NOK, EBITDA of 16.2M NOK.
• Villoid As: 111 employees, sales of 518.1M NOK, EBITDA of 49.0M NOK.

Most companies are organized as AS (377 companies), with a few as ENK or ANS. The most stable companies have high EBITDA margins (up to 19%) and high sales volume.

Geographic Distribution

All 1374 companies in the industry are registered in Oslo, with a focus on central areas such as Øvre Slottsgate, Karl Johans gate and Storgata. This shows that clothing stores often choose to locate themselves in high-traffic areas with large customer bases.

Bankruptcies and Dynamics

• Cheermania As: Sales of 3.3M NOK, EBITDA of -16.0K NOK, 0 employees.
• Retrolykke Herretrikotasje As: Sales of 605.0K NOK, EBITDA of -47.0K NOK, 0 employees.

Bankruptcies are relatively rare in the industry, but those that occur often have low sales and negative EBITDA. This shows that companies with low margins and low sales are most vulnerable to bankruptcy.

The industry shows signs of a sharp decline in 2026, with an 87.9% drop in sales compared to 2025. This could be a challenge for new entrepreneurs. However, large chains such as H&M and Inditex have shown resilience, and it is possible to find stable locations in Oslo. Entrepreneurs should consider focusing on high-traffic areas and building on existing customer relationships.

Comparison with the Broader Creative Sector

The creative, arts, and entertainment activities sector in Oslo has 1922 companies, showing that the clothing retail industry is part of a larger, more diversified sector. The broader sector had a sales volume of 6.55M NOK in 2026, while the clothing retail industry had only 655.1M NOK. This shows that the clothing retail industry is less stable compared to other parts of the creative sector.

Peer Companies in the Broader Sector

These companies show that there are both large and small players in the sector, with variable EBITDA and number of employees.

The clothing retail industry in Oslo has both strengths and challenges. With over 1374 companies and large chains such as H&M and Inditex, the industry is well-established. However, the past few years have shown a sharp decline in sales and number of employees, which could be a challenge for new entrepreneurs. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find optimal addresses in Oslo for clothing stores, based on data and local conditions.