Netherlands
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
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
Retail Flash: insights from key footwear markets
Explore the main retail trends in France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, the UK, the US and Spain from our Retail Flash reports, highlighting volatility in 2024 and mixed consumer and retailer sentiment. In particular, new tariffs on key trading partners could put pressure on US footwear prices, Germany’s online sector continues to expand and Japan faces rising inflation
Netherlands Retail: good expectations for the footwear holiday season
After record growth between July and September, footwear sales fell abruptly in October, accompanied by a hiccup in consumer confidence. But that’s no cause for despair: lower footwear inflation has kept footwear prices relatively stable and there has been a recent upturn in retailer confidence. This could bode well for the future of footwear imports, especially with the festive season just around the corner. In this context, the online channel will continue to be favoured by Dutch consumers to shop
Katrin Ley from Fashion for Good: shifting the fashion industry towards circularity by championing innovations
We spoke to Katrin Ley, Managing Director at Fashion for Good, a global platform for innovation. Among other topics, we talked about how Fashion for Good is driving circularity in the fashion and footwear industries through a collaborative approach
Scotch & Soda Northern Europe will not reopen
Following the declaration of bankruptcy on the 12th of June, the administrators have announced that the northern branch of Scotch & Soda will not be reopening
Bluestar Alliance rescues Scotch & Soda
The US-based brand management company has announced the acquisition of the Amsterdam-based brand, just days after Scotch & Soda declared bankruptcy for its Dutch operations due to “severe cash flow problems”
Scotch & Soda announces new footwear licensee
The Amsterdam-based fashion brand has signed a worldwide licensing deal with Bos Group International for the design, production and distribution of the brand’s footwear collections
Hengst Footwear names Roelof de Leeuw CEO
Back in May, Roelof de Leeuw became the new CEO of Hengst Footwear B.V., one of the oldest footwear companies in the Netherlands dating back to 1901. In its 120 year history, the Hengst family have always been at the wheel of the company
The Netherlands: retail turnover up by 6%
According to the Statistics Netherlands (CBS), the Dutch retail sector recorded 5.9% year-on-year turnover growth in March 2021. Turnover in the non-food sector was up slightly, while the food sector suffered turnover losses
Imports of footwear with a dark picture in the first semester
The most recent statistics for footwear trade in 2020 show a very dark, albeit expected, picture. In the first semester of the year, footwear imports fell in almost every country
Leather Naturally and IULTCS announce close collaboration
Global leather organizations, The International Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists Societies (IULTCS) and Leather Naturally, announce that they will intensify their collaboration in the field of leather education
H&M wins over adidas in a nearly 25-year long legal dispute
For more than 2 decades, adidas and H&M have been involved in a legal battle over the stripes
Leather Naturally celebrates another milestone
After successfully raising over 1.5 million US dollars to fund a global campaign to promote leather, the Leather Naturally initiative now confirms that it has over 100 members
SLEM starts new innovation program
International innovation institute SLEM has developed a new 9-month program to inspire professionals and companies in new ways of thinking about footwear aiming to positively impact and improve the industry-
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