The temporary closure of factories in Germany as part of measures to control the covid-19 pandemic has led almost half of the country’s manufacturers of leather, leathergoods and footwear to cut jobs.

In a recent survey, research body the ifo Institute asked companies in a range of industrial sectors if they had reduced employment as a result of the manufacturing shutdown, which began in mid-March. The Munich-based institute asked companies if they had made decisions about dismissing employees or not renewing employment contracts; its focus was not on a federal government-backed furlough programme.

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