Sales
Japan Retail: fashion falls out of step with the market
Although inflation is cooling and the macroeconomic situation in Japan is stabilising, consumer confidence remains fragile. Against this backdrop, the fashion industry appears to have fallen out of step, with clothing and footwear prices remaining high while demand continues to weaken. This is evident in the continued decline in apparel and textile sales, contrasting with the resilience of the broader retail sector. At the same time, the weak yen is inflating import costs, forcing footwear companies to pay more without achieving significant increases in sales volume
Early Easter boosts UK retail sales but clothing and footwear lag
The early Easter resulted in stronger-than-expected growth in UK retail sales in March. However, this masked the ongoing weakness of discretionary categories, particularly clothing and footwear
US Retail: footwear under pressure as retail holds
Although overall sales remained stable in 2025, performance within the fashion sector was mixed, with clothing outperforming the far more volatile footwear segment. At the same time, weakening consumer sentiment persisted despite easing monetary policy, signalling growing uncertainty. This is particularly evident in footwear imports, which reversed sharply after a strong start to the year and declined alongside retail sales, even as import prices continued to rise. The combination of falling volumes and higher costs points to a sector increasingly squeezed by soft demand and ongoing supply-side issues
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Germany Retail: Footwear under pressure amid clouded outlook
Germany’s footwear and leather goods sector remained under pressure in 2025, with weak consumer and retail confidence, falling sales, and substantial discounts weighing on the market, despite the expansion of the online channel and a significant increase in footwear imports. Looking ahead, industry representatives appear to anticipate cautious stabilisation rather than a clear rebound. While e-commerce and Germany’s role as a regional hub offer some support, weak domestic demand and persistent uncertainty continue to cloud the outlook
Spain Retail: Fashion falters amid broader retail growth
While the broader Spanish economy expanded by 2.8% in 2025 and total retail sales grew steadily, driven largely by double-digit gains in e-commerce, the fashion sector struggled. On average, there was a monthly year-on-year decline of 0.8% in clothing and footwear sales, accompanied by sector-specific deflation despite positive headline inflation. Although consumer confidence remained relatively solid, households increasingly prioritised services and savings over fashion purchases
German footwear manufacturers achieve modest sales growth in 2025
Sales by German footwear manufacturers rose by 3.2% year-on-year in 2025, according to the German Federal Association of the Footwear and Leather Goods Industry (HDS/L)
UK retail sales pick up in January
UK total retail sales rose by 2.7% in January, according to the BRC, surpassing the 12-month average of 2.3%. Post-Christmas discounts boosted spending on both food and in-store items
ABF warns on profits as Primark faces tough start to the year
Associated British Foods has revealed that it expects profits to be lower than last year. Primark has had a challenging start to the year, with improvements in UK trading offset by weakness in continental Europe
UK retail sales fall in December as Christmas boost fails
BDO’s latest High Street Sales Tracker shows that discretionary retail sales fell by 1.4% year-on-year in December, representing the weakest monthly performance since November 2024
Retail Flash: insights from key footwear markets
Explore the main retail dynamics across France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, the UK, the US and Spain based on our latest Retail Flash reports, highlighting that e-commerce expansion and import pressures continue to reshape retail across Europe, while stronger sales growth occurs in Japan and in the US
US Retail: recovery gains ground amid ongoing pressures
Clothing and footwear sales have improved since January, with the latter already exceeding last year’s figures, but overall retail remains slightly below 2024’s levels. Although holiday forecasts point to moderate growth, rising inflation, falling consumer confidence and shifting interest rates suggest an economically fragile backdrop. Trade pressures are also having an impact on the sector: the value of footwear imports increased, but their volume fell, suggesting that retailers are absorbing higher costs through surgical price increases. A one-year suspension of additional tariffs on Chinese footwear provides temporary relief, but economic uncertainty persists
US: Thanksgiving Weekend attracts a record 203 million shoppers
According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), 202.9 million consumers shopped over the Thanksgiving-Cyber Monday weekend, up from 197 million last year and surpassing the record of 200.4 million set in 2023
Japan Retail: fashion shows strength amid rising cost pressures
The Japanese fashion retail sector is enjoying a standout year, with apparel and footwear sales surging to record highs, despite early signs of cooling demand. Strong Chinese tourist spending has helped to boost results, although geopolitical tensions pose risks for the future. Meanwhile, e-commerce continues to grow much faster than physical retail. Inflation is now converging across categories, with footwear prices rising in line with general inflation. However, the weakening yen is pushing up import costs, leaving retailers reliant on steady consumer demand to absorb rising costs
UK Retail: fashion rebounds despite pressure on footwear spending
Since May, the UK’s textile, clothing, and footwear (TCF) sector has regained momentum, outperforming the total retail sector and benefiting from increased online demand. But this rebound masks underlying weaknesses in the footwear sector: consumer spending remains low amid persistent price deflation, and imports have fluctuated significantly as retailers adjust stock levels in response to volatile demand. With inflation still above the target rate and the Budget looming, the retail sector has entered the Golden Quarter with improved sales but constrained by economic uncertainty and cautious consumer behaviour-
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