Sweden's H&M said today that local currency sales fell 10% in the September-November quarter as the second wave of the pandemic led to a fresh slowdown towards the latter part of the period.
H&M is the world's second-biggest fashion retailer.
The rival of Zara owner Inditex said a recovery seen in the previous quarter had continued through much of the fiscal fourth quarter.
But it added that sales had been hit again from the end of October with Covid-19 once again spreading more rapidly.
"Between 22 October and 30 November sales decreased by 22% compared with the corresponding period last year, as the recovery transitioned into a new slowdown as a result of the pandemic's second wave," H&M said in a statement.
The company said the local currency drop from September 1-October 21 had been 3% compared to a year earlier.
H&M said sales in the quarter fell to 52.5 billion Swedish crowns ($6.25 billion) from 61.7 billion a year earlier.
The company issues its full fourth quarter report on January 29.
