Jewellery chain Claire’s goes bankrupt for second time in seven years

US retailer is struggling under debts amid slowdown in consumer spending and switch to online shopping

The tween jewellery and ear piercing retailer Claire’s has declared bankruptcy for the second time in seven years as it struggles amid a slowdown in consumer spending and the switch to online shopping.

The US accessories retailer, which has more than 2,700 stores in 17 countries including the UK and France, said in papers filed with the US bankruptcy court in Delaware that it had debts of between $1bn and $10bn.