World Footwear

Economy

US core retail sales hold their own

Jun 20, 2025 / United States
Continued growth in core retail sales in May was shown by data released by the US Census Bureau, despite a downturn in overall sales amid fluctuating tariffs, said the National Retail Federation

US and China strike preliminary trade deal

Jun 16, 2025 / United States
The United States and China have reached a framework agreement on a trade deal that eases global trade tensions. However, the final terms have yet to be formally agreed upon by both governments

Brazilian footwear production expected to grow by between 1.4% and 2.2% in 2025

Jun 12, 2025 / Brazil
Brazilian footwear production is expected to grow by between 1.4% and 2.2% in 2025, says Abicalçados, driven primarily by the domestic market. Still, the current global economy may favour exports

Expo Riva Schuh and Gardabags to address current challenges facing the footwear and accessories market

Jun 6, 2025 / Italy
The event will address challenges such as tariff uncertainty, supply chain fragmentation, and shifting economic geographies in order to help brands and companies navigate the international landscape

US Trade Court blocks most of Trump’s global tariffs

May 30, 2025 / United States
The Court of International Trade ruled that President Trump did not have the authority to impose blanket tariffs on imports from US trading partners. This voids most of the tariffs that sparked the latest global trade war

Trump threatens to impose a 50% tariff on EU goods

May 26, 2025 / United States
On Friday, US President Donald Trump used social media to threaten a 50% tariff on European Union (EU) imports from the 1st of June, reigniting fears of a trade war. After a weekend call, he agreed to delay it until the 9th of July

US Retail: bleak prospects amid growing uncertainty

Premium ContentMay 20, 2025 / United States
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

Premium ContentMay 13, 2025 / United Kingdom
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

US strikes deal with UK, cuts China tariffs for 90 days

May 12, 2025 / United States
The US will reduce import taxes on a set number of British cars and allow some steel and aluminium into the country tariff-free. It will also lower tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30% for 90 days.

76 footwear brands urge Donald Trump to exempt shoes from tariffs

May 5, 2025 / United States
Nike, Skechers, Crocs, adidas, Puma, Caleres, VF Corp and Wolverine Worldwide are among the 76 companies that are urging the US administration to exempt footwear from the tariffs, fearing rising costs

Germany Retail: hope rests on the ability of retailers to weather gloomy circumstances

Premium ContentApr 28, 2025 / Germany
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

Vietnam opens trade talks with the US over looming tariffs

Apr 25, 2025 / Vietnam
Vietnam and the US have formally opened talks over the Trump administration’s threat to impose a 46% tariff on goods from the Southeast Asian country, according to state media reports

Spain Retail: a case for optimism

Premium ContentApr 22, 2025 / Spain
Despite a decline in fashion sales in January, February bucked the trend, and the data points to a stable performance for the sector in 2025, with online taking the lead. Although the deflation in the apparel and footwear sectors is not good news, retailers in general remain optimistic about the future - as shown by the import data - supported by the economic growth the country has experienced and is expected to continue to experience

What’s next for footwear businesses in a volatile global trade landscape?

Premium ContentApr 18, 2025 / United States
We have looked at the prospects for footwear companies in light of the recent US tariffs announcements, highlighting some concerns from both a manufacturing and retail perspective

US retail sales grew in March but consumers are worried

Apr 17, 2025 / United States
Data released by the US Census Bureau showed that retail sales rose in March, even as consumers continued to worry about the impact of rising tariffs, the National Retail Federation (NRF) said
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