World Footwear Reports
Germany Retail: Footwear remains under pressure
The German footwear market is under increasing pressure due to declining sales, rising prices and weakening consumer confidence. While total retail and online sales have remained relatively resilient, footwear and leather goods have consistently underperformed. Meanwhile, retailers have become more cautious, as reflected in declining imports and weak retail confidence, which points to a challenging environment for the sector
24.6 billion pairs: global footwear production in 2025
JUST RELEASED: In 2025, global footwear production remained broadly unchanged, recording a marginal increase of 0.1% to a total of 24.6 billion pairs, according to data from the World Footwear Yearbook 2026 recently released by APICCAPS, the Portuguese Footwear Association
Global footwear production holds steady in 2025
JUST RELEASED: In 2025, global footwear production remained virtually unchanged, recording a marginal increase of 0.1% to a total of 24.6 billion pairs, according to data from the World Footwear Yearbook 2026 recently released by APICCAPS, the Portuguese Footwear Association. This follows a revised estimate for the production figures in 2024, which now indicates a robust growth of nearly 10% for that year. While international trade volume saw a slight dip of 0.1%, the total value of exports rose by 1.6%, reaching 172 billion dollars
Spain Retail: Fashion recovers amid mixed market signs
Spanish retail has remained resilient over the past year, supported by sustained growth in online sales. Meanwhile, the fashion sector recovered in early 2026 following a weaker performance in 2025. However, rising prices, weakening consumer and retail confidence, and lower footwear imports suggest that the improvement in turnover this year reflects a mixed market environment rather than an overall strengthening in demand
France Retail: Widespread recovery remains elusive
After an uncertain 2025, the French retail market is showing few signs of widespread recovery. While online sales remain its main source of growth, overall retail has stagnated and the footwear market continues to struggle with subdued consumer demand. Meanwhile, the recent acceleration in headline inflation has not resulted in higher clothing and footwear prices, which suggests weak pricing power and ongoing promotional pressure. Against a backdrop of fragile consumer and retail confidence, it is no surprise that businesses have become more cautious in their approach to inventory management
Digital Product Creation: The New Frontier in Footwear Manufacturing
JUST RELEASED! The global footwear industry is undergoing a profound digital transformation. The shift from physical development to digital workflows - known as Digital Product Creation (DPC) - is redefining how shoes are designed, tested, and manufactured, blending traditional craftsmanship with technological precision
Netherlands Retail: Confidence gap widens, footwear lags
Recent developments in the Dutch retail market reveal an increasing gap. Although consumer confidence has deteriorated sharply, retailers remain positive and footwear imports have shown resilience. Yet, footwear continues to lag behind the broader retail sector, facing weaker demand, persistent price pressure, and inconsistent sales. Meanwhile, online retail remains structurally strong, reflecting the ongoing shift in consumer purchasing behaviour
USA-Iran Conflict: Footwear Industry Prepares Strategic Shifts in Suppliers and Logistics Routes
According to the latest World Footwear Business Conditions Survey conducted in April 2026, the ongoing instability arising from the geopolitical tension between Iran and USA is forcing a significant majority of the industry to re-evaluate its operational strategies
Rising Geopolitical Risks Drive Footwear Costs Higher
Rising geopolitical tensions are expected to impact the global footwear industry mainly through higher costs rather than an immediate decline in consumer demand, according to the latest World Footwear Business Conditions Survey
USA - Iran Tensions seen as Rising Risk for Global Footwear Industry
The conflict between the United States and Iran is increasingly viewed as a material risk for the global footwear industry, according to the results of the Spring 2026 edition of the World Footwear Business Conditions Survey
Retail Flash: end-2025 insights from key footwear markets
Explore the main retail dynamics across France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, the UK, the US and Spain, including end-2025 insights and early-2026 signals, highlighting online outperformance in France and Spain, persistent footwear weakness in Germany, and import-cost pressure in Japan and the US
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
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
UK Retail: fashion retail grows, but caution persists
Sales in the UK’s textile, clothing, and footwear (TCF) sector recovered in 2025, exceeding total retail figures despite periods of volatility. However, this recovery was driven more by increased transaction volumes than by higher consumer spending, with expenditure on footwear remaining largely unchanged and prices declining amid persistent discounts. At the same time, volatile yet growing online sales and increasingly responsive import patterns suggest that the sector is trying to adapt quickly to uncertain demand
Artificial Intelligence in the Footwear Sector: How are companies deploying AI?
JUST RELEASED! Read the latest World Footwear Innovation Paper on artificial intelligence in the footwear sector and learn more about where and how companies are implementing it, including three real case studies from Portugal's FAIST project-
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