Swatch Defends £335 Royal Pop Launch as Crowds Disrupt 20 of 220 Stores

2 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 19

Nick Hayek Jr said Swatch's Royal Pop launch had calmed after Monday's turmoil, defending the rollout as an "extraordinary" success despite severe overcrowding at some stores.
£335 pocket watches drew crowds because the Audemars Piguet collaboration offers a far cheaper entry point than the luxury brand's usual watches, and Swatch says production will continue for months rather than a single day.
20 of 220 Swatch stores were affected globally; in the UK, outlets in Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield, Glasgow and London shut over safety concerns, while Old Trafford later reopened.
Police were called to stores in Greater Manchester and Cardiff, where a 25-year-old man was arrested, as videos showed long queues and scuffles in other countries too.
Retail analysts said social-media hype and confusion over the watch not being a limited edition helped fuel Gen Z demand and resale activity.

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