Apparel, Clothing and Footwear

Apparel accessories has slumped in volume in 2023, to just under 1% growth. This is in contrast to the more promising performance seen over the past two years, as the category rebounded from the double-digit volume decline seen during the pandemic.…

Apparel accessories is projected to see slight retail volume and strong retail current value growth over 2023, with the recovery of all categories, except for “other” apparel accessories. This category continued to suffer steep declines due to the…

Apparel and footwear in France is seeing an overall volume slump in 2023, while value is supported by inflation pushing up unit prices, thus giving an artificial perspective of positive performance. Whilst we did see a robust volume uptick in the…

Apparel and footwear is projected to record strong retail current value growth over 2023, albeit slower than in 2021 and 2022, when sales rebounded from a lower base following the slump caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Nonetheless, most…

One would think that childrenswear would be resilient, due to the necessity of replacement needed for growing infants and children. However, both value and volume sales are in a slump in 2023. One key reason for this is the declining birth rate in…

Childrenswear suffered a disruption, but less so compared with menswear and womenswear, in 2020, in the wake of the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19). This was partly because parents tend to prioritise goods for their children, but also because…

Footwear volume is managing to stay in very small positive growth in 2023, which is expected to pick up slightly in 2024, then slump again over the forecast period. Meanwhile, value is being better supported by inflationary pressures pushing up unit…

Footwear is projected to see healthy, if slower than in 2021 and 2022, retail current value growth and a slight, and similarly slower, retail volume increase over 2023. This is set to enable footwear to slightly exceed its 2019 pre-pandemic retail…

Hosiery is another category in negative volume growth, while value is better supported by inflationary factors. Both sheer hosiery and non-sheer hosiery are showing such slumps, with sheer hosiery performing slightly better by a tiny margin. That…

Hosiery continued on its way towards recovery in 2023, after the steep decline in retail volume and current value sales recorded in 2020. The recovery started in 2021 and continued throughout 2022 as the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic gradually…

Jeans is in a volume slump in 2023, following a strong rebound after the pandemic era declines. This can partly be attributed to budgetary reasons, evidenced by the fact that economy jeans is showing the best performance, along with the fact that…

Jeans is expected to see a low single-digit growth in retail current value terms over 2023, to return to the 2019 pre-Coronavirus (COVID-19) level. Jeans started to recover in 2021, having suffered a downturn with the pandemic, as Italians limited…

Menswear continues to perform fairly well in 2023, despite seeing lower volume growth than witnessed in the previous two years – which can be attributed to a normalisation effect following the steep declines seen during the era of the pandemic store…

Menswear is set to see a strong single-digit rise in retail current value sales over 2023 to exceed the 2019 pre-pandemic level, following the slump recorded in 2020 due to the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and fast growth rebounds in both 2021…

Sportswear is a winner in 2023, thanks to strong and ongoing athleisure and streetwear fashion trends, such as the popularity of sports-inspired footwear (eg sneakers), and hybrid styles whereby consumers mix sports-inspired apparel with more formal…

Overall, sportswear is expected to see healthy growth in retail current value terms in 2023. All categories of sportswear are predicted to continue their retail current value growth trajectories, albeit at a slower rate, compared with 2021 and 2022.…

Womenswear is in a volume slump following an uptick in sales immediately following the pandemic. The uptick was reactionary following the abnormal era of store closures and is not persisting due to budgetary pressures and inflation. Whilst e-commerce…

After the slump in demand and retail current value sales in 2020, due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, womenswear rebounded in 2021 and 2022. The category moved towards a full recovery, as pandemic restrictions gradually eased…

Apparel accessories is recovering in 2023, following a noticeable decline in 2022 as consumers shifted away from buying face masks in the post-pandemic era. Whilst retail volume sales remained in decline, apparel accessories reported positive current…

Overall, apparel and footwear continued to witness positive current value growth in 2023, although as in the previous year much of this growth was driven by inflation and retail price increases. In the face of these higher prices and costs of living,…

In 2023, childrenswear continues to see robust growth in value terms, although this is largely driven by inflation and price increases. Inflation has fallen slightly, but it continues to be a hindrance to volume growth, with sales pushed back into…

Footwear is struggling to recover from the harsh impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, with retail volume and current values sales still below pre-pandemic levels in 2023. Although 2021 brought a renewed interest in footwear with consumers returning to…

Hosiery witnessed an increase in current value growth in 2023 fuelled by price rises, but this only lowered consumer confidence forcing cutbacks on these products, alongside other apparel. The category was heavily impacted by COVID-19 as women spent…

Retail volume sales of jeans were pushed into decline in 2023, as demand was stifled by price increases and the high cost of living. Denmark’s inflation rate soared in 2022, alongside many other European countries, pushing up costs and the retail…

Menswear continues to see buoyant current value growth in 2023, although this is mainly driven by price rises as inflation remains well above average in Denmark. Consumers have been making cutbacks on men’s apparel leading to a small decline in…

Sportswear value sales continued to rise in 2023, although much of this growth was driven by inflation and price increases. Consumers have made cut backs on sportswear, as in many other major categories, as disposable incomes are squeezed. Danish…

Womenswear continued to see positive current value growth in 2023, although this was mainly driven by inflation and retail price increases. Inflationary pressure began to surge in 2022 following the start of the war in Ukraine. Consumer confidence…

Accessories sales in the Netherlands are witnessing a surge in interest among consumers, especially for fashion accessories like scarves, hats, and gloves. These items are increasingly viewed as style complements, expected to demonstrate robust…

The ongoing cost-of-living crisis in the UK is having a discernible impact on discretionary spending for various apparel accessories. Local consumers, facing economic uncertainties and inflationary pressures, are exhibiting more cautious purchasing…

The sales forecast for apparel and footwear in 2023 projects positive, albeit tempered, growth compared to the previous year. A prevailing sense of lower consumer confidence is impacting demand, leading to a more prudent approach to spending among…

The cost-of-living crisis in the UK has cast a shadow over discretionary spending, significantly impacting the purchase of apparel and footwear. As inflation rises and essential expenses such as housing, utilities, and groceries become more…

Anticipated healthy growth in childrenswear across its three subcategories in 2023 is being propelled by sustained demand for quality products and an escalating interest in fashion and design. The extended use of social media platforms is…

Following the pandemic-related baby boom, birth rates in the UK are now declining, but demand for childrenswear continues to grow. However, a stronger performance in value growth terms is being driven by unit price increases. Childrenswear faces…

Footwear in 2023 continues to grapple with inflation, leading to rising unit prices and overall retail costs. The trend of inflated prices has affected sales growth, mirroring the impact observed in apparel. Intensified competition between physical…

In times of lower discretionary spending, consumers are exhibiting a discerning focus on value and quality when making footwear purchases. The economic landscape significantly influences buying behaviour, prompting individuals to prioritise products…

Sales of hosiery are anticipated to surge, particularly in non-sheer varieties, as Dutch consumers increasingly invest in both luxurious and eco-conscious products. While there's a continued interest in premium items, shoppers are also seeking…

Amid the prevailing cost-of-living crisis in the UK, consumers are strategically reassessing their spending habits, which continues to be evident in hosiery. As disposable incomes face constraints, local consumers are prioritising value and seeking…

Anticipated sales in 2023 will reflect a more tempered growth in premium and super-premium jeans as consumers adopt a cautious spending approach. While economy-level jeans are projected to show positive growth, standard jeans remain the most…

Polarisation is reshaping jeans in the UK, with a discernible impact on product prices and consumer preferences. The category is experiencing a notable divergence, witnessing stronger growth in both the economy and super premium segments, while…

In the Netherlands, the demand for casualwear is driven not only by the pursuit of comfort but also by the influence of street and urban culture trends. Younger Dutch consumers are embracing streetwear styles in both clothing and footwear, prompting…

Menswear in the UK is experiencing the repercussions of lower levels of discretionary spending among consumers in the wake of the cost-of-living crisis. As economic pressures, inflation, and rising living costs take their toll, individuals are…

Sportswear is rapidly gaining traction within Dutch apparel and footwear, constituting less than a quarter of total value sales in 2023. This upsurge is predominantly driven by the growing popularity of sports activities and the prevalent preference…

Sportswear in the UK is maintaining its trajectory of robust growth, attesting to the enduring appeal of athletic-inspired fashion and the evolution of consumer preferences. 2023 has witnessed a continuation of key trends that have been shaping…

Sales of women’s apparel are expected to maintain a stable, positive growth trajectory in 2023. Although growth may slightly lag behind the previous year, factors such as inflation, price increases, favourable weather, and a return to workplaces are…

In 2023, womenswear in the UK is grappling with the multifaceted challenges posed by inflation and a cost-of-living crisis, significantly impacting discretionary spending patterns. As inflation rates rise, the overall cost of goods and services…

Given the economic uncertainty at the end of the review period, Austrian consumers purchased fewer apparel accessories. While the boom in fashion face masks (“other” apparel accessories) ensured a positive retail volume growth performance overall in…

A post-COVID-19 return to business travel and events such as christenings and weddings benefited apparel accessories in 2023, with a notable increase in volume sales of ties. Belts, too, are benefiting from a return to office work and socialising and…

After two challenging years due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the recovery of apparel and footwear started in earnest in 2022, but retail volume sales did not return to the 2019 level. On the other hand, high inflationary pressure on…

Inflation and the cost of living crisis affected the performance of apparel and footwear in Greece in 2023, with price increases resulting in substantial current value growth across all categories. Volume sales increased, too, post-COVID-19; however,…

Purchasers of childrenswear focused on quality and less at quantity as they became more mindful of personal finances and textile waste. Still high inflation in 2023 translated into retail current value growth, despite the decline in retail volume…