News / Adidas eyes supply chain switch to south-east Asia as wages rocket in China

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One of the world’s largest sports apparel and footwear manufacturers is considering a large-scale relocation of its manufacturing from China to south-east Asia and the Indian subcontinent.

German giant Adidas said this week that, due to expected double-digit increases in labour costs involved in sourcing its products through to 2020, it would need to move away from China as wages soared in the country.

Vietnam is likely to be the major winner, according to senior vice president of sourcing John McNamara.

“What we ...