The Italian shoe industry association Assocalzaturii has announced the economic key figures of the first quarter of 2025. Sales have dropped by 7 %. The export volume has increased by 2.5 %, but also dropped by 4.1 % in value. The consumption of private households remained at the level of inflation (-1.2 % in spending and -2.1 % in volume), especially due to the increasing energy costs. The number of companies has dropped slightly with 0.6%, the number of employees by 0.8%.
A total of 53.2 million pairs of shoes with a total value of 3.04 billion euros were exported. Exports into the EU have developed well, the volume rose by 6.4 %, the value of 0.8 %. Within the EU, Germany showed a strong recovery (+15.5 % of the value and +17 % in volume) after strong declines of more than -10 % in Q1 2024. Exports to France also increased (+4.6 %), although they decreased in value (-6.9 %). This number includes re-imports of products that were produced in Italy for French luxury brands. Nevertheless, France remains the most important target country of these exports.
Outside of the EU, exports to Switzerland remained stable, and it is striking that the multinational luxury goods manufacturers rely less on Swiss logistics centers and instead deliver directly to the final markets.
There was a significant decline in the most important markets in East Asia: China decreased by -17.9 % (value -based by -27.5 %), Hong Kong for -14.3 %, South Korea for -18.1 % and Japan by -33.5 % (value by value by value by value by -by 13.6 %). Overall, the Far East fell by -22.6 % and value by -25.3 %. In contrast, the positive trend in the United Arab Emirates (+16.8% in value and+33.5% in the crowd) and Turkey (+21% in value) in value.
Russia recorded a value -based decline of -8.5 %, while Ukraine decreased by -4.2 %. In Kazakhstan, growth (-2% in value) slowed down after several years of strong growth.
The United States remained stable (+2.2 %), but recorded a decline in the volume (-10.6 %), which is due to the trade policy and a slight devaluation of the dollar.
The Lombardy remained at the top with an increase in exports by +5.9 %; Veneto recorded a decline of -10.6 %; The Tuscany fell by -20.1 % (including -24 % in Florence); The brands recorded a lower decline of -6.9 % (Fermo -12.1 %, Ascoli piceno -6.3 %, while Maceraa was against the trend at +1.2 %); The Emilia-Romagna fell by -12.3 %(Forlì-Cesena -8.4 %), as well as the two most important shoe-producing regions: Apulia (-5.7 %) and Campania (-20.9 %). As far as domestic consumption is concerned, there was a slight increase in family purchases of sports shoes and sneakers ( +1% in volume and +1.7% in spending).
In the men’s shoes, a decline of -4.8 % was recorded by the couples sold, while the quantity declines of around -3 % were recorded in the women’s and infancy.
