fashion
Sneaker high in the course – no end of the boom in sight
Many customers also look at the price when buying shoes and try to save. Sneakers still enjoy increasing popularity. An expert explains why.
The people in Germany save when buying shoes, but not with sneakers. The demand continues to increase, as the trade research institute IFH Cologne reports. An end to the boom is not in sight, says IFH market expert Hansjürgen Heinick. The sneaker is the biggest winner in the product groups.
Customers spent 2.7 billion euros on sneakers last year and thus a third more than in 2018 than it was 2 billion euros. Sales have increased by almost 6 percent per year.
“Sneakers are more comfortable to wear than others have become shoes and socially acceptable. You can always attract them and at all social events,” says Heinick. Sneakers are also often cheaper than classic leather shoes. Sneaker is a collective term for sporting leisure shoes and sneakers that are worn in everyday life and not just in sports.
Sales with the shoe type have attracted significantly more than consumer prices in recent years. Shoes were recently only 6 percent more expensive than in 2017. The market share of sneakers is now more than 28 percent. For 2025, the expert predicts an increase to 29.5 percent.
Difficult times for the fashion industry
Nevertheless, the industry suffers from the retention of purchase. The people in Germany spent 9.5 billion euros on shoes last year, 0.9 percent less than 2023. The market has not yet reached the level before corona pandemic. Germany’s largest shoe retailer Deichmann also feels the economy of customers. The company sold fewer shoes worldwide in 2024, and sales were hardly higher than in the previous year.
Heinick does not expect a recovery in 2025. He expects the proceeds to increase only by 0.2 percent. According to the IFH, the number of shoe retailers in Germany has dropped from 7,247 to around 2,625 since 2000. The stationary shoe trade has lost importance. Almost 37 percent of sales with shoes in this country were made online in 2024, and the proportion was a good 24 percent before the pandemic.
The fashion industry in Germany experiences difficult times. Many dealers complain about moderate sales and high costs. According to the BTE industry association, companies pay about 20 percent more for energy, rent and salaries than in 2019. It is feared that even more companies come under pressure due to the economic situation.
dpa
Source: Stern
