French footwear exports decline, while imports remain flat

According to the Alliance France de Cuir, exports of French footwear decreased by 4% year-on-year to 1.32 billion euros in the first quarter, while imports remained flat at 2.09 billion euros
The latest conjuncture note released by the trade association representing the country’s leather and leather goods industry indicates that footwear exports decreased by 4% in the first quarter, reaching 1.32 billion euros, as compared to 1.37 billion euros in the same period last year.
The data also shows that imports remained stable at 2.09 billion euros, with 17% originating from European countries and 81% from Asian countries. This marks a shift from 2024, when 21% of footwear imports came from Europe and 77% from Asia, according to Shoe Intelligence reports, suggesting a growing reliance on Asian producers.
Given France’s prominent role in the global footwear market – according to the World Footwear 2024 Yearbook (more information HERE), France is the world’s third-largest importer of footwear by value and has traditionally sourced most of its imports from Europe – the latest figures suggest a gradual reorientation of supply chains towards Asia, in line with global trends.
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