October 17, 2020 - 20:13 AMT
Mango reconsidering Turkish suppliers due to unofficial Saudi embargo

Spanish fashion brand Mango is reconsidering their Turkish suppliers due to an unofficial embargo by Saudi authorities, the Financial Times reports.

Saudi Arabia has “banned all imports for made in Turkey products”, an employee at clothing group Mango told Turkish suppliers in an email.

The Spanish company, which is one of a number of European and American fashion retailers with manufacturing facilities in Turkey, said in a statement that its teams “are looking into alternatives to the slowing down of custom processes for products of Turkish origin in Saudi Arabia”.

Turkish exporters have complained that their products have faced long delays at Saudi customs over the past month. The problems have been viewed by businesses as an attempt by Riyadh and its close ally the United Arab Emirates to punish Ankara for what they deem to be its destabilising interventions in the Arab world.

In a statement from the government’s media office, Riyadh also said it was committed to free trade and international agreements and treaties.

But this month, Ajlan al-Ajlan, the chairman of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce, called for a boycott of “everything Turkish” in response “to the continued hostility of the Turkish government against our leadership, country and citizens”.