In a move that has stunned the Croatian city of Osijek, Italian fashion giant Benetton has shut down its production plant, ending a 25-year legacy in the region. A sudden announcement in December left 260 workers jobless, with promises of severance based on years of service. While the company cited financial struggles, rising wages, and inflation as the reasons for closure, the true impact is deeply personal for many.
Former employees, some who had dedicated nearly their entire careers to the factory, were blindsided. “This place was like a second home,” one former worker shared, her voice heavy with disbelief.
Despite earlier promises in 2021 to create 300 new jobs, those hopes evaporated. Now, many in their 50s are left to grapple with an uncertain future, in an economy struggling to provide secure alternatives. As Benetton consolidates operations elsewhere, including a major site in Serbia, the fate of the Osijek workforce seems grim.
The closure marks the end of an era for Benetton in Croatia—an exit that leaves not only a void in the local economy but a deep scar in the lives of its former employees.
