Japan’s retail landscape is transforming, driven by the strong performance of the online channel. Despite overall inflationary pressure, retail sales as a whole and footwear imports are on an upward trend, boosted by a weaker US dollar against the yen. With footwear prices finally showing signs of recovery, there is cautious optimism for renewed demand in the short term, even as rising interest rates weigh on consumer confidence   

We spoke to Torben Schütz, Deputy Managing Director at the Federal Association of German Footwear and Leather Goods Industry, to learn more about the upcoming Barefoot European Shoe Fair, the first of its kind in Europe. The preview takes place in the summer in Offenbach, close to Frankfurt   

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   

The Baltimore-based company reported a decline in fourth quarter revenue across geographies and segments, but an increase in gross margin, as it continues to reposition the brand for long-term growth   

As part of the Erasmus+ VETting Green project, partners from Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece have developed an online course aimed at tackling greenwashing and promoting genuine sustainability practices within the footwear and apparel sectors   

The Hong Kong-based group saw revenue rise in the first quarter, but profits declined due to uneven production, lower efficiency and rising labour costs, as well as a volatile retail environment in Mainland China