Trade

Portugal maintains export growth trajectory in 2025

Dec 2, 2025 Portugal

Data from the first nine months of the year shows that the Portuguese footwear industry is gaining ground in the main international markets, with year-on-year export increases of 3.8% in volume and 2.1% in value

In September, the Portuguese footwear industry consolidated the growth cycle observed throughout 2025. Between January and September, Portugal exported 53.3 million pairs of shoes, worth 1.32 billion euros, which represents a 3.8% increase in volume and a 2.1% increase in value, as compared to the same period last year. This performance highlights the sector’s strong competitive capacity in a challenging international context.

During this nine-month period, significant growth was observed in the safety footwear segment (up by 17% in value), as well as in the children’s footwear segment (up by 6%) and the textile footwear segment (up by 18.8%). Notably, the value of leather footwear, the main component of Portuguese exports, remained stable, defying the global trend of intense margin and price pressures.

Europe remained the main destination for Portuguese footwear exports, accounting for around 80% of the total. Overall performance was positive, with sales to the European market growing by 5.9% in volume (47 million pairs) and by 4.4% in value, reaching 1.098 billion euros, as compared to the first nine months of 2024.

In this context, noteworthy increases were recorded in Germany (up by 11.3% to 372 million euros) and Spain (up by 20.6% to 139 million euros). However, in France, a historically important market for the sector, sales fell slightly by 0.4% to 263 million euros.

Outside Europe, the recovery in the United States continued after a volatile start to the year. Although exports to the US have declined by 7.9%, this is far less than the more pronounced declines seen in the first quarter. Growth in South Korea (up by 18.2%) and Japan (up by 4.8%) continues to stand out in Asian markets, with both approaching 3 million euros.

Luís Onofre, president of APICCAPS, says that these results “reflect the enormous adaptability of the Portuguese industry at a time of great complexity. It has been able to quickly adjust to new consumer dynamics”. He emphasises that the sector is better prepared to compete globally because of ongoing investments.

September confirmed the reversal of the negative trend recorded in 2024 and consolidated the recovery that began in early 2025. “This did not happen by chance”, says Luís Onofre. “It is the result of a collective strategy and substantial investment”, he adds.

Given these results, the president of APICCAPS predicts that 2025 may conclude as a year of stabilisation and strategic repositioning, marking a new cycle of international affirmation for the Portuguese footwear industry.

Source and Image Credits: apiccaps.pt

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