Bangladesh’s apparel exports to the European Union (EU) slumped by 18.89 percent year-on-year to €7.28 billion ($8.33 billion) in the first five months of 2026 (January-May), marking the steepest decline among the region's major global suppliers.
According to Eurostat data analysed by Mohiuddin Rubel, founder and CEO of Bangladesh Apparel Voice, the country is facing a critical "dual weakness," losing ground on both shipment volume and unit price simultaneously.
During the period, Bangladesh's apparel export volume to the EU fell by 10.46 percent, while its unit price dropped by 9.41 percent. Both figures are roughly double the global average decline.
Overall EU Demand Shrinks
The downturn reflects a broader contraction in the EU apparel market. Total EU apparel imports from the world fell by 9.96 percent year-on-year to €33.84 billion ($38.71 billion), down from €37.58 billion ($43.00 billion) in the same period last year.
The global decline was driven by a 6.46 percent drop in volume and a 3.74 percent decline in unit prices, suggesting that weaker consumer demand and softer pricing contributed almost equally to the market contraction.
However, Bangladesh’s performance in May alone showed worsening vulnerability, with export value sliding by 17.12 percent, volume down by 13.55 percent, and unit prices dropping by 4.13 percent.
Mixed Performance Among Competitors
While Bangladesh struggled on both fronts, its global competitors showed mixed resilience by adopting different market strategies.
China – the leading supplier – recorded the smallest value decline of 4.20 percent. It was the only major exporter to grow its shipment volume, which rose by 1.96 percent, defending its market share through a 6.05 percent price cut.
Vietnam emerged as the most resilient exporter, with its export value dipping just 1.51 percent. Despite a sharp 12.27 percent drop in volume, it defended its value through premium positioning, pushing its unit price up by 12.26 percent.
Pakistan’s export value fell by 17.01 percent despite a 3 percent increase in volume, suffering from a major unit price collapse of 19.43 percent.
India experienced a milder version of Bangladesh's dual weakness, with its export value declining by 13.33 percent.
Turkey and Cambodia faced volume-led declines of 17.17 percent and 15.13 percent, respectively, though their unit prices saw upward adjustments.
Indonesia experienced the sharpest volume contraction among all suppliers, plunging 23.76 percent.
Sustained Structural Concerns
Highlighting the gravity of the data, Mohiuddin Rubel noted that Bangladesh is currently the only major apparel supplier losing on both volume and price at this scale – contrasting sharply with Vietnam’s price-resilience and China’s volume-resilience.
He warned that because this dual weakness has persisted from April into May, it points to a sustained structural problem within Bangladesh's apparel sector rather than a temporary, one-month blip.
