During the press conference at the Shoes trade fair in Düsseldorf, the BTE trade association for textiles, shoes and leather goods spoke of a “difficult first half of the year” for the German shoe trade. According to the association’s initial internal projections, sales in the period were down 2% compared to the previous year. The main reasons for this were both the weak consumer sentiment and the changeable weather in May and June. The industry suffered a double-digit drop in sales. However, sales rose by 14% in February, March and April.
Number of shoe stores is decreasing
Nevertheless, around 100 shoe retailers had to close their doors forever, according to the BTE. This was partly due to bankruptcies, but also because no successor could be found. The number of shops has therefore fallen by 800. According to BTE estimates, there are now 2,600 stationary shoe specialists active on the market. This brings the total number of shoe shops to 8,750.
In addition to the reluctance to buy, another challenge facing the industry is also becoming apparent here: the attractiveness of city centers. The bureaucratic burden also continues to burden companies. Accordingly, around 41% of the shoe retailers surveyed currently rate their current business situation as bad. Around 16% rate their situation as good. Consequently, sales expectations for the full year 2024 are also low: around 30% expect an increase in sales, while every second shoe retailer expects slight to significant sales losses compared to 2023.
The trends of the first half of the year
Sporty models in the low shoe range were particularly popular. Retro-style sneakers were in demand, and men also liked sports slippers, outdoor shoes or chunky loafers. For women, in addition to sneakers, the focus was particularly on colorful ballerinas and mules, but also sling pumps and kitten heels. At the same time, an increase in the barefoot shoe trend was observed.
