Sales
US Retail: there’s still a great deal of uncertainty
There are still no solid signs of a recovery in the footwear retail sector. Despite mirroring last year’s trend, sales are consistently lower than in 2023, and footwear imports continue their downward trajectory. This may suggest that prices have not yet reached a level where consumers will bite. The truth is that the US economy has made great progress and inflation has eased considerably, but not enough to reassure consumers, who are still uncertain about what will happen next. And when that happens, discretionary items always pay the price
Shoe Zone cuts full year guidance
The British footwear retailer has lowered its full year guidance due to continued cost pressures related to container prices and weaker-than-expected sales of its spring-summer collection
UK Retail: are the winds starting to blow in retailers’ favour?
Despite a slight upturn in sales of Textile, Clothing and Footwear in March, a number of factors, including an early Easter, poor weather and the high cost of living, soon led to a visible lack of demand. This will most likely lead to a decline in the number of footwear imports, breaking the growth trend seen in the first quarter of the year. On the bright side, inflation is at its lowest since November 2021 and the economy seems to be picking up, so there is room for some improvement in consumer sentiment. With the UK on the brink of a General Election and a series of sporting events promising to bring people onto the streets, are the winds starting to blow in retailers’ favour?
Germany Retail: positive signs on the horizon, but it’s not yet time to pop the champagne
Good news keep coming, but no one is out of the woods yet. Footwear retail sales outperformed overall retail sales in January and February, although they remain lower than the same period last year. Consumer sentiment remains negative but is improving, driven by lower inflation rates and wage growth, and retailer sentiment, although more negative, is following the trend. With recent news of a better economic outlook for the year and a rise in the value of imports at the start of the year, there is a chance that consumers will pull retailers up. Let’s see how the coming months unfold
France Retail: the ball is in the consumers’ court to boost retail
The first quarter of the year brought some contradictory signs in France, but perhaps all is not lost, especially for footwear retailers. Prices in the category have been rising at a slower pace than general items, becoming more stable every month, which perhaps helps explain the (albeit residual) increase in footwear sales in March. Confidence indicators for both retailers and consumers remain in the red, but the small year-on-year increase in imports at the start of 2024 points to higher demand later in the year. With the European elections in June and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in August, as well as real wage growth, the ball is in consumers’ court to boost retail
UK retail sales pick up slightly in May
UK retail sales rose by a modest 0.7% year-on-year in May, following an April that was hit by an early Easter and poor weather. Online non-food sales appear to have turned the corner, says the BRC
Spain Retail: concerns grow for retailers after an unexpected fall in sales
While 2024 began with consistent, albeit modest (around 1% monthly) growth, a concerning trend emerged in March, with retail sales falling sharply by 7.9% as compared to the previous month. However, a silver lining remains. Fashion is currently the retail sector experiencing the least inflation, and consumers still hold some optimism about the overall economy. This suggests that a period of resilience may be needed from retailers, but a potential rebound could be on the horizon
UK: Poor weather and early Easter weigh on April retail sales
UK retail sales fell by 4 by 4.0% year-on-year in April, against a gain of 5.1% in April 2023. An early Easter and poor weather dampened sales, particularly for clothing and footwear, the BRC said
Golden Goose welcomes Bizzarri to the board at a time of strong momentum
Former Gucci president and CEO Marco Bizzarri joins the board of the Italian luxury sneaker company as sales continue to grow, driven by strong performance across all regions
US retail sales rise again in March
Retail sales rose by 0.7% in March compared with February (seasonally adjusted), following a 0.9% rise in the previous month, reflecting continued consumer strength
UK retail sales flat in March
The first quarter was a disappointing one for retailers. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that both the value and volume of sales in March were unchanged on the previous month
Inflation threw a curveball at sportswear spending in 2023
The sportswear segment has proven not to be immune to the effects of inflation, with most of global players seeing their sales slow in 2023. Caution seems to prevail in 2024, but there are signs that consumer spending could pick up later in the year
LAST CALL! Join the 10th edition of the World Footwear Business Conditions Survey
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SECOND CALL! Join the 10th 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!
Japan Retail: trade did not improve at the end of 2023, but a recovery is not out of the picture
As anticipated in the previous edition of the WF Retail Japan, trade (physical and online) did not improve at the end of 2023. What’s more, the country unexpectedly slipped into recession amid sluggish consumption and pressure on retail costs due to the weak yen. However, it’s expected that the easing of consumer inflation and the recovery of wages due to labour shortages could occur in the first half of 2024 and both consumer and retailer sentiment is on an upward trend. So perhaps a modest recovery could take place soon-
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