El Corte Inglés

On June 28, 1940, Ramón Areces and César Rodríguez González opened a small haberdashery on Calle de Alcalá in Madrid. That modest shop quickly evolved into the largest department store group in Europe and the third-largest globally. Today it remains the last major chain of its kind operating across both Spain and Portugal, serving millions of customers through a vast network of physical locations and digital platforms.

The retailer operates a diversified portfolio that goes far beyond clothing. Shoppers find electronics, home goods, books, sports equipment, and food alongside financial services provided by El Corte Inglés Banca. The company also manages a significant logistics division recently rebranded as Kumo Networks to focus on cloud infrastructure and data management solutions.

In 2025 the group posted revenue of nearly €17.25 billion with net profit growing by 22.8%. Forbes highlighted the brand in April 2026 as a cultural hub where "Spain actually happens." Recent moves include an exclusive partnership with Kim Kardashian's Skims for the Spanish market in September 2026 and a new initiative focused on textile reuse launched in August of that year. [edit]