Zara and Bershka come from the same parent company — Inditex — and share the same sizing language: EU numbers 34–44, with XS–XXL mapping onto them identically at both brands (M is EU 38 at both). On the surface, your size should simply carry over from one store to the other.
It mostly doesn't, because Bershka is the family's youth brand, cut for a younger, slimmer frame. Its chart figures sit a touch under Zara's at every size — and the gap widens from EU 42 up — while its real-world fit has perhaps the strongest size-up consensus on the high street: one size up for anything fitted, two not unusual for jeans, which run on their own separate numeric scale. Both brands' published figures are aggregator-republished rather than a single official chart, which the tables below flag.
The short answer
Bershka runs smaller — same labels, slimmer youth cut, and jeans on their own scale
The charts agree more than they disagree: at EU 38, Bershka expects an 88–91 cm bust versus Zara's 90 cm — overlapping ranges. But Bershka's figures consistently sit 1–2 cm under Zara's, the hips run 3–4 cm smaller per size (94–97 cm vs Zara's 98 cm at EU 38), and from EU 42 up the gap grows: Zara's 42 covers busts to 102 cm where Bershka's stops at 99 cm.
Real-world fit settles it. Zara runs small with caveats — Zara Woman is close to true to size, TRF runs slimmest. Bershka runs small without caveats outside its oversized knitwear: reviewers consistently need one size up in fitted pieces and up to two in jeans and trousers. If you already size up at Zara, expect to size up at least as much at Bershka — especially in bottoms, where Bershka denim uses a separate EU 32–48 numeric scale that doesn't match the clothing chart at all.
Zara vs Bershka at a glance
| Zara | Bershka | |
|---|---|---|
| Sizing system | EU numeric (34–44); M is EU 38 | Same EU numbers and letters — but jeans use a separate 32–48 scale |
| Overall fit | Runs small — varies by line; Zara Woman closest to true | Runs small across the board — youth cut for slim frames |
| How much to size up | One size in fitted pieces, jeans, and TRF | One in fitted pieces; up to two in jeans and trousers |
| Chart bodies at EU 38 | Bust 90 cm, hip 98 cm | Bust 88–91 cm, hip 94–97 cm — slimmer through the hip |
| The exception | Zara Woman line runs more generous | Oversized hoodies and knits fit true to size — don't size up there |
Women's bust and waist at the same EU size
Body measurements at the same EU label — the letters map identically at both brands, so no label conversion is needed. Both brands' figures are as republished from their size guidance (aggregator-sourced) rather than a single official chart.
| EU (size) | Zara bust | Bershka bust | Zara waist | Bershka waist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 (XS) | 82 cm · 32.3" | 80–83 cm · 31.5–32.7" | 62–64 cm · 24.5–25" | 60–63 cm · 23.6–24.8" |
| 36 (S) | 86 cm · 33.9" | 84–87 cm · 33.1–34.3" | 66 cm · 26" | 64–67 cm · 25.2–26.4" |
| 38 (M) | 90 cm · 35.4" | 88–91 cm · 34.6–35.8" | 70 cm · 27.6" | 68–71 cm · 26.8–28" |
| 40 (L) | 94–96 cm · 37–37.8" | 92–95 cm · 36.2–37.4" | 74–76 cm · 29.1–30" | 72–75 cm · 28.3–29.5" |
| 42 (XL) | 98–102 cm · 38.6–40.2" | 96–99 cm · 37.8–39" | 78–82 cm · 30.7–32.3" | 76–79 cm · 29.9–31.1" |
| 44 (XXL) | 102–108 cm · 40.2–42.5" | 100–103 cm · 39.4–40.6" | 82–88 cm · 32.3–34.6" | 80–83 cm · 31.5–32.7" |
Women's hips at the same EU size
The hip is where Bershka's slimmer block shows most — about 3–4 cm less room per size than Zara, which matters for jeans, trousers, and fitted skirts. Figures aggregator-republished for both brands.
| EU (size) | Zara hip | Bershka hip |
|---|---|---|
| 34 (XS) | 90 cm · 35.4" | 86–89 cm · 33.9–35" |
| 36 (S) | 94 cm · 37" | 90–93 cm · 35.4–36.6" |
| 38 (M) | 98 cm · 38.6" | 94–97 cm · 37–38.2" |
| 40 (L) | 102–104 cm · 40.2–41" | 98–101 cm · 38.6–39.8" |
| 42 (XL) | 106–110 cm · 41.7–43.3" | 102–105 cm · 40.2–41.3" |
| 44 (XXL) | 110–116 cm · 43.3–45.7" | 106–109 cm · 41.7–42.9" |
Men's tops — read the note before comparing
Not a like-for-like table: Zara lists body chest measurements while Bershka's republished men's figures are garment chest measurements — the clothing itself, not your body. A garment must measure more than your chest to fit, so Bershka's seemingly similar numbers describe a slimmer fit than Zara's.
| Size | Zara chest (body) | Bershka chest (garment) |
|---|---|---|
| S | 89–93 cm · 35–36.5" | 90–94 cm · 35.4–37" |
| M | 94–98 cm · 37–38.5" | 96–100 cm · 37.8–39.4" |
| L | 99–103 cm · 39–40.5" | 102–106 cm · 40.2–41.7" |
| XL | 104–108 cm · 41–42.5" | 108–112 cm · 42.5–44.1" |
Switching between Zara and Bershka
- Your EU number carries over between the brands — but expect the Bershka piece to fit slimmer, especially through the hip.
- Going Zara → Bershka: keep your Zara size only for oversized knits and hoodies; go up one in fitted tops and dresses, and treat jeans as their own exercise on Bershka's separate 32–48 denim scale.
- Going Bershka → Zara: your Bershka size or one down usually works in Zara Woman, but stay sized-up for Zara's TRF line, which is cut for the same young-slim frame as Bershka.
- Men's sizing isn't comparable on paper — Zara publishes body measurements and Bershka garment measurements — so match by trying on or by comparing a shirt you own against Bershka's garment figures.
Measurements are based on each brand's published size charts and may vary by garment, fabric, and region. For the full charts and fit notes, see the Zara size guide and the Bershka size guide.
Zara vs Bershka sizing FAQs
Which runs smaller, Zara or Bershka?
Bershka. Both Inditex brands run small, but Bershka is cut for a younger, slimmer frame: its chart figures sit slightly under Zara's at every size, hips run 3–4 cm smaller, and the size-up consensus is stronger — one size in fitted pieces, up to two in jeans.
Is my Zara size the same as my Bershka size?
The label is — both brands map XS–XXL onto EU 34–44 identically, so a Zara 38/M and a Bershka 38/M are the same nominal size. The fit isn't: the Bershka piece will run slimmer, so for anything fitted take one size above your Zara size.
Why do Bershka jeans fit so differently from Zara jeans?
Two compounding reasons: Bershka sizes denim on its own EU 32–48 numeric scale with separate measurements from the regular clothing chart, and its cut is slimmer through the hip than Zara's (94–97 cm vs 98 cm at EU 38). Sizing up two at Bershka is common where one suffices at Zara.
Is Bershka basically the same as Zara TRF?
They target a similar young customer and both run slim, so the comparison is fair: if you already size up for TRF at Zara, carry that habit to everything fitted at Bershka. The difference is that Zara also offers the more generous Zara Woman line, while Bershka's whole range is cut young.
Are these brands' published size charts official?
Neither brand publishes one static official chart — Zara uses a per-product size calculator and Bershka's figures circulate via aggregators — so the tables here use the commonly republished figures behind each brand's guidance. Treat them as a starting point and check the per-product tool or garment label when it matters.
