H&M trials marketplace for third-party brands in Germany and Sweden

H&M has begun selling external fashion brands including Bufallo, Crocs and Eastpak on its local website in Sweden and Germany, with plans to add more brands and expand into other markets in the future.

H&M started offering external brands in its home market under its "H&M's with Friends banner in February and has since expanded to Germany, competing with major online retailers including ASOS and Zalando.

H&M now offers 15 external labels for women in Germany, including Bufallo, Crocs, Eastpak, Fila and Superdry and 13 labels for men. According to reports by Reuters, the company is looking to extend its new With Friends range to more locations, which is expected to include the UK.

A spokesperson from H&M told Reuters: "Customers are now able to shop from more brands in the H&M Group family, as well as from a curated selection of other fashion brands such as Lee, Wrangler and Kangol, among others. We launched the concept in Germany in March. We will continue to add brands going forward and expand the concept to other markets."