Confidence
UK Retail: signs of a slowdown are emerging
After a promising start to the year, the UK retail sector is now showing signs of slowing down. Textile, clothing and footwear (TCF) sales, which had recorded consistent year-on-year growth in the first months of 2025, have now begun to decline, reflecting a general downturn in retail performance. Online sales have been highly volatile, with TCF categories being particularly sensitive to changes in consumer sentiment. Meanwhile, rising inflation and weakening consumer confidence are putting downward pressure on spending, and the decline in sales suggests that imports may follow this trend
Germany Retail: cautious forecasts reign amid uncertainty
Although the retail sector has shown modest year-on-year growth overall, the footwear segment continues to struggle. Meanwhile, online sales have recorded double-digit increases since September 2024. The truth is that despite signs of easing inflation and seasonal discount campaigns, both retailers and consumers remain cautious amid geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty. The rebound seen earlier in the year has given way to cautious forecasts, particularly in light of the sharp downturn in footwear imports and the potential ramifications of shifting trade policies
Spain Retail: the fashion sector is now under pressure
Unlike our previous forecast, the Spanish fashion sector is currently under pressure, with its turnover down by 2.56% year-on-year in the first half of the year. The footwear sector, in particular, is showing worrying signs, with low prices and cautious consumer behaviour. This has left retailers with high inventory levels and high hopes for summer discounts. However, only time will tell if the slowdown of the Spanish economy due to mounting global geopolitical and financial uncertainty will affect their prospects
France Retail: something doesn’t add up in the footwear market
There is something amiss in the footwear retail sector in France. Since April, footwear sales have increased and prices have remained stable, supported by one of the lowest inflation rates in the Eurozone. Nevertheless, concerns have been raised about the sluggish state of the economy, with both consumer and retail confidence not only negative, but also on a downward trend. This suggests that footwear imports will most likely continue to decrease, as they did in April. Only time will tell what will happen next
Netherlands Retail: mixed signs in the first half of the year
Despite a strong start to 2025, the Dutch retail sector has been experiencing some volatility. Sales in the footwear sector recorded significant fluctuations, reaching their lowest point in April with a decline of 7.5%, before recovering to a decline of 2.5% in May. Notably, the footwear sector experienced negative inflation in these months, meaning consumers paid less for footwear. However, imports to the Netherlands have increased in the first quarter, and Retail confidence remains above zero. Therefore, despite negative consumer confidence and a challenging macroeconomic backdrop, there may still be some hope for the rest of the year
Japan Retail: renewed optimism for footwear demand?
Japan’s retail landscape is transforming, driven by the strong performance of the online channel. Despite overall inflationary pressure, retail sales as a whole and footwear imports are on an upward trend, boosted by a weaker US dollar against the yen. With footwear prices finally showing signs of recovery, there is cautious optimism for renewed demand in the short term, even as rising interest rates weigh on consumer confidence
US Retail: bleak prospects amid growing uncertainty
The footwear retail sector is definitely underperforming, especially compared with clothing and accessories. The current trade war between the US and its trading partners is not helping consumers recover from last year’s inflationary crisis. Consumer confidence has fallen by almost 30% in the first four months of the year as people believe that shoe prices may rise significantly again. Against this backdrop, importers are at a standstill, trying to guess the best course of action. Uncertainty is the word that best describes the current situation in the sector
UK Retail: the sector appears to be holding its own
The UK retail sector appears to be holding its own despite fears of increased costs as a result of the new Employment Rights Bill. In particular, retail sales of Textile, Clothing and Footwear (TCF) have risen back-to-back in the first quarter of the year, and the improvement in footwear inflation from negative to neutral in March may suggest a boost to demand. Although consumers aren’t exactly optimistic about the future, especially with new rising bills and the ongoing US trade war, retailers still have reasons to restock
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Germany Retail: hope rests on the ability of retailers to weather gloomy circumstances
In a landscape where e-commerce is in a league of its own, footwear retailers continue to struggle to regain sales growth, even against the backdrop of overall retail performance. And low inflation in the sector is actually indicative of low demand, not consumer confidence. Indeed, the data shows that consumers remain far more pessimistic than retailers, and a renewed rise in the propensity to save is clouding the overall picture. Given the volatile global trading environment, hope rests on the ability of retailers to weather these gloomy conditions
France Retail: watch out for the snowball effect
Both the footwear and the retail sector as a whole have failed to start the year on a strong footing, according to sales data. Consumers, who seemed to start the year in a more positive mood, took a step back in March and remain pessimistic about the French economy. Import data also suggest that retail confidence is in free fall. All in all, the risk of a snowball effect in the French retail sector cannot be dismissed.
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The WorldFootwear.com is asking all experts within the footwear industry to share their views on the current business situation. Join the new edition of the World Footwear Business Conditions Survey. WE WANT TO HEAR YOU!
Netherlands Retail: optimism reigns at the start of the year
Despite falling consumer confidence in the Netherlands, footwear retailers have good reason to be optimistic about 2025. The data shows that consumers have absorbed the expected lower price increases – footwear inflation shows no signs of abating – and will be spending. In fact, overall retail and e-commerce sales in the Netherlands are forecast to grow by 3.5% and 8%, respectively, this year. It’s worth noting that online shopping continues to stand out as a preferred channel for Dutch shoppers
Join the 12th edition of the World Footwear Business Conditions Survey
The WorldFootwear.com is asking all experts within the footwear industry to share their views on the current business situation. Join the new edition of the World Footwear Business Conditions Survey. WE WANT TO HEAR YOU!
Matt Priest (FDRA) on Trump administration’s tariff policy: all of this has created a lot of uncertainty in our market
We bring you an interview with Matt Priest, CEO & President of the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA). The impact of the tariffs imposed on Mexico, Canada and China on US retailers, consumers and the country's economy dominated the conversation-
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