Retail
Footwear industry with optimistic expectations for the future
In the latest edition of the World Footwear Business Conditions Survey, our panel members predicted an increase of 7.3% in footwear prices over the next six months. Get free access to the report with the main conclusions
Festive season fails to boost UK retail sales
UK retail sales rose by 1.7% in the five weeks to the end of December 2023, well below the 6.9% growth recorded in the same period in 2022. Low consumer confidence continues to curb spending
UK: modest rise in retail sales in November
According to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), retail sales in the UK were up by 1.3% in November, a slight upturn from a period of no growth in October
German retailers expect weak Christmas sales
German retailers are not expecting a boost from Christmas sales this year. As geopolitical concerns threaten to dampen consumer sentiment, weak demand continues to weigh on their businesses
Christian Louboutin enters joint venture in India
The French footwear designer is transferring his current operations in India into a joint venture with Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd (ABFRL), one of the country’s leading retail chains
Austria and Germany continue to see a wave of insolvencies and closures
Richter Schuhe, Europe’s oldest children’s shoemaker, and fashion retail chain Aachener have filed for bankruptcy. Deichmann to close its My Shoes stores in Austria and Germany by the end of 2024
Lower sales and profits at Foot Locker
The US-based retailer has reported another fall in sales and profits in the third quarter of the year, deciding to further cut its guidance for 2023 against a backdrop of ongoing consumer uncertainty
Shoe Carnival cuts full year guidance once gain
The US-based retailer reported soft trends after Labour Day due to unfavourable weather conditions, which resulted in lower sales and profits. Thus, it lowered its full year guidance
Cautious British consumers hold back on spending
Figures by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) suggest that retail growth slowed down in October due to the impact of inflation, with consumers deciding to reduce spending ahead of the holidays
Japan Retail: footwear trade is not expected to improve until the end of the year
Despite some positive news on the growth of department store sales and the return of foreign tourists, rising consumer prices set alarm bells ringing in September, suggesting that Japanese consumers in general are cutting back on spending and may be at their breaking point. In addition, the reduction in the volume of footwear imports and the impact of the country’s monetary policy on the cost of imported goods is another sign that footwear retail is unlikely to improve by the end of the year. The Government has been taking measures, but the outcome shouldn’t be seen until 2024
US Retail: footwear prospects until the end of the year are at a standstill
Despite signs of a certain resilience from consumers over the summer, companies are taking a cautious approach for the rest of 2023. The long deceleration in footwear inflation came to a halt in August, so if the trend recedes, wage increases will have to follow suit, or the positive outlook for footwear retail could be jeopardised. It’s not surprising how carefully retailers are managing their inventory at the moment: neither too much nor too little
Decathlon launches buyback service in all its UK stores
The sporting goods retailer is expanding its buyback service to all its UK stores. Customers will be given in-store credit for returning products they may have outgrown or no longer use
UK Retail: stabilisation of the footwear trade is the best we can hope for at the moment
The bad weather in July and August may not have helped retail over the summer, but it would be ill-advised to believe that’s what it’s all about. Despite some improvements in the general consumer price index, the footwear segment continues to show some resistance to going along with the trend. Inflation will have to continue to fall in order to contribute to sustained sales growth in the future, as most consumers have too much on their plate to spend on non-discretionary items. The only positive sign comes from imports, whose data seems to indicate that at least a stabilisation in retail trade is on the horizon
Amazon to expand drone deliveries to the UK and Italy
The Seattle-based online retail giant announced the expansion of the Prime Air drone delivery system to customers in Italy and the UK by the end of 2024. A third US city will also be covered
UK retail sales fell more than expected in September
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), UK retail sales saw a bigger-than-expected decline in September, due to unusually warm weather and the pressures of rising living costs-
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