Sweden fashion retailer H&M is to supply protective equipment to hospitals as they fight the coronavirus outbreak.

The company said it reached out to the European Union to understand the needs and offer help, which includes opening up its purchasing operations and logistics capabilities.

“The coronavirus is dramatically affecting each and every one of us,” said Anna Gadda, head of sustainability of H&M. “H&M Group is, like many other organisations, trying our best to help in this extraordinary situation.

“We see this is as a first step in our efforts to support in any way we can. We are all in this together, and have to approach this as collectively as possible,” she said.

Recently, the group also donated US$500,000 to the Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund created by the UN Foundation to support coronavirus prevention