Stay ahead of the curve in the UK footwear retail market and future-proof your business with Mintel’s in-depth market research report. Our full report, is packed with consumer-led market intelligence, the latest footwear retailing trends, and the consumer behaviours that are shaping the UK footwear industry.Â
Our Report Delivers Key Insights On:
- The effect of the cost-of-living crisis on both the footwear market and consumer sentiment towards spending on footwear.
- The types of footwear purchased, channels and retailers used.
- Factors that influence consumers’ footwear purchases.
- The common purchase drivers for footwear; understanding the factors that encourage new purchases.
- Consumer attitudes and behaviour around shopping for footwear.
Overview of the Footwear Retail Market in the UK
The first half of 2022 saw a boost in spending on footwear. However, growth was hindered by rising inflation. Demand will be constrained in the short term during the cost-of-living crisis. But the longer term outlook is more positive.
- Footwear retail market size: The UK footwear market size increased by an estimated 6% in 2022.
- Footwear retail market forecast: Mintel’s analysts estimate the footwear market to increase by a further 5% in the next year.
UK Footwear Retail Market Trends
- Market segmentation: Trainers are the most popular choice for both male and female consumers, with 38% of women and 35% of men purchasing them.
- Market opportunities: Nearly half of 16-24 year olds buy footwear as a treat for themselves. Retailers can do more to encourage impulse purchases by creating stores that stand out and create a community feel.
- Market challenge: Nearly two-thirds of consumers say that price is more important than brand, representing a challenge for the market if consumers continue to trade down.
What’s Next for the UK Footwear Market?
The return to the high street will continue to prove beneficial for the footwear market, presenting footwear brands with new opportunities to make the most of their physical spaces and innovate around experiential retail.
Discover more market opportunities and how best to connect with a wider audience in our full UK Footwear Retail Market Report. Our in-depth report reveals market innovations and expert recommendations to help your business grow during times of financial uncertainty.
Popular Products and Brands Covered in this Report
Products:Â All footwear including trainers.
Brands:Â Clarks, Footasylum, Skechers, Pavers, Foot Locker, Deichmann Schuh, Dune Group, Reebok, Nike, adidas, JD Sports, Size?, M&M Direct, Shoe Zone, Hotter Direct.
Expert Analysis from a Specialist in the Retail Industry
This report, written by Fiona McDonald, a leading analyst in the retail sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends in the UK footwear retail market and add expert context to the numbers.
While fashion has struggled during the tough economic climate, footwear has fared slightly better, and is poised for growth. Comfort and casual styles remain key drivers within the category, with casual fashion and athleisure giving yet more rise to trainers and casual everyday footwear. Consumers look for more from the physical stores they shop at, and those with a playful take on in-store shopping look to benefit. Online remains strong for footwear, with opportunities for try-on tools and expansions into gamification both on and offline presenting brands with new and interesting ways to engage with footwear shoppers.
Fiona McDonald
Retail Analyst
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Overview
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Products covered in this Report
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Executive Summary
- The five-year outlook for footwear
- Figure 1: Category outlook, 2023-28
- Fashion buying begins to recover
- Figure 2: Trends in items respondents have purchased for themselves, 2020-22
- Footwear inflation on the rise
- Figure 3: Consumer price inflation and overall CPIH, February 2022-23
- 2022 advertising spend peaks in past five years
- Figure 4: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on footwear, 2018-22
- Companies and brands
- Consumers consider Size? and Footasylum as fun brands
- Figure 5: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, 2023
- Return to high street shopping benefits footwear retailers
- Figure 6: Leading footwear specialists’ estimated revenues, 2018-22
- The consumer
- Footwear purchasing continues to increase
- Figure 7: Number of people who have purchased footwear across categories, 2021-23
- Online remains popular channel for footwear shopping
- Figure 8: Channels used to purchase footwear, 2021-23
- In-store can influence purchasing decisions
- Figure 9: Where consumers look for inspiration before purchasing footwear, 2023
- Most purchase footwear to replace old styles
- Figure 10: Reasons for purchasing footwear, 2023
- Comfort and price drive footwear shopping
- Figure 11: Attitudes towards footwear purchasing, 2023
- The five-year outlook for footwear
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Issues and Insights
- The cost-of-living squeeze on the footwear market
- Experiential retail and its opportunities for footwear
- Sustainability in footwear
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Market Drivers
- Fashion buying begins to recover
- Figure 12: Trends in items respondents have purchased for themselves, 2020-22
- Footwear inflation on the rise
- Figure 13: Consumer price inflation and overall CPIH, February 2022-23
- Average weekly earnings fall well behind inflation
- Figure 14: Real regular pay, by consumer price index, January 2010-January 2023
- Inflation will continue to eat into consumer spending power over the course of 2023
- Further interest rate increases will hit mortgage holders
- High inflation and rising interest rates will compound the impact of the slowing recovery
- Consumer spending power will be curbed
- Low unemployment is helping underpin consumer confidence
- Consumers’ financial wellbeing has fallen from the highs of 2021…
- Figure 15: Household financial wellbeing index, 2016-23
- …and most people are feeling the effects of price rises
- Fashion buying begins to recover
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Market Size and Performance
- Pent-up demand drives growth, but inflation woes linger
- Figure 16: estimated market size for footwear, 2017-22
- Pent-up demand drives growth, but inflation woes linger
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Market Forecast
- The five-year outlook for footwear
- Figure 17: Category outlook, 2023-27
- Growth to slow in the short term, but purchasing is set to recover
- Figure 18: Market forecast for footwear, 2022-27
- Figure 19: estimated consumer spending on footwear, 2017-27
- Share of men’s, women’s and children’s footwear
- Figure 20: UK footwear sales market value and percentage share, by segment, 2018-22
- Figure 21: UK footwear sales by percentage share, by segment, 2020-22
- Learnings from the last income squeeze
- Forecast methodology
- The five-year outlook for footwear
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Channels to Market
- Specialists regain share
- Figure 22: Estimated distribution of spending on footwear, by type of retailer, 2018-22
- Online continues to grow share of the market
- Figure 23: Estimated distribution of spending on footwear, by type of retailer, 2018-22
- Specialists regain share
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Launch Activity and Innovation
- Technology to enhance customer experience
- Vyking launches in-store smart mirror to virtually try on footwear
- Foot Locker opens tech-driven flagship store in London
- Venturing into footwear
- Lee Jeans footwear collection to launch in autumn/winter 2023
- Tracksmith taps into the athletic shoe market
- Figure 24: Tracksmith’s, the Eliot Runner, 2022
- Collaborations and partnerships
- Clarks’ iconic designs recreated in collaboration with Zara
- Figure 25: Clarks’ and Zara collection, 2023
- Tasha Ghouri teams up with SIMMI London to launch Autumn/Winter 2022 collection
- Ganni launches eco trainer in partnership with New Balance
- Dune launches debut children’s footwear collection
- Figure 26: Ganni and New Balance collection, 2022
- Cosyfeet teams up with University of Exeter to create sports footwear for older adults
- Pop-up stores
- French trainer brand opens pop-up store as part of UK market expansion plan
- Figure 27: OP2.0 pop-up store, Bicester Village, 2022
- Start-Rite Shoes’ pop-up store: combine school shoe shopping with a trip to the farm
- Axel Arigato opens ‘upside-down’ pop-up store in Selfridges
- eBay to open ‘Swap ‘Em Out’ sneaker pop-up
- Sustainable initiatives and products
- Merrell launches takeback and resale programme to help reduce footwear landfills
- DPD UK partners with Rock Fall to create sustainable safety footwear
- La Sportiva launches UK recycling programme
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Advertising and Marketing Activity
- 2022 advertising spend peaks in past five years
- Figure 28: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on footwear, 2018-22
- Advertising spend on sports footwear continues to rise
- Figure 29: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on footwear, by product category, 2018-22
- Spend on digital advertising remains dominant
- Figure 30: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on footwear, by media type, 2021 and 2022
- Reebok replaces adidas to become biggest advertising spender
- Figure 31: Total recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on footwear, by leading advertisers, 2018-22
- Digital and outdoor advertising are popular for sports footwear brands
- Figure 32: Leading advertisers’ total recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising spend on footwear, by media type, 2022
- Campaigns’ highlights
- Kickers creates kids’ footwear campaign through Roblox
- Figure 33: Kickers’ back-to-school campaign via Roblox platform, 2022
- adidas puts the spotlight on inspiring women in sport in global campaign
- Clarks launches campaign to promote social change for a better world
- Reebok launches reboot of 1984 ‘Because Life is Not a Spectator Sport’ campaign
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
- 2022 advertising spend peaks in past five years
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Brand Research
- Brand map
- Figure 34: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, 2023
- Key brand metrics
- Figure 35: Key metrics for selected brands, 2023
- Brand attitudes: Clarks is trustworthy and offers great customer service
- Figure 36: Attitudes, by brand, 2023
- Brand personality: Consumers consider Size? and Footasylum as fun brands
- Figure 37: Brand personality – macro image, 2023
- Brand personality: Shoe Zone has basic offering
- Figure 38: Brand personality – micro image, 2023
- Brand analysis
- Hotter Shoes: exclusive and reliable
- Footasylum: highly recommended and offers a great customer experience
- Clarks: trustworthy and reliable, but expensive
- Size? provides excellent customer experience but lacks in customer service
- Shoe Zone: basic and inexpensive
- Brand map
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Leading Footwear Specialists
- Return to high street shopping benefits footwear retailers
- Figure 39: Clarks’ modern workshop concept store, Kingston, 2023
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- Figure 40: Leading footwear specialists’ estimated revenues, 2018-22
- Leading specialist outlet numbers
- Figure 41: Leading footwear specialists’ outlet numbers, 2018-22
- Leading specialists’ sales per outlet
- Figure 42: Leading footwear specialists’ estimated sales per outlet, 2018-22
- Return to high street shopping benefits footwear retailers
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Types of Footwear Purchased
- Footwear purchasing continues to increase
- Figure 43: Number of people who have purchased footwear across categories, 2021-23
- Casual styles remain popular choice for women
- Figure 44: Styles of women’s footwear purchased, 2021-23
- Purchasing of men’s footwear grows year-on-year
- Figure 45: Styles of men’s footwear purchased, 2021-23
- Footwear purchasing continues to increase
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Types of Children’s Footwear Purchased
- Purchasing recovery across all styles of children’s footwear
- Figure 46: Styles of children’s footwear purchased, 2021-23
- Purchasing of children’s footwear is equal across men and women
- Figure 47: Styles of children’s footwear purchased, by gender of purchaser, 2023
- Purchasing recovery across all styles of children’s footwear
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Channels and Retailers Used
- Online remains popular channel for footwear shopping
- Figure 48: Channels used to purchase footwear, 2021-23
- Online purchasing of women’s and children’s footwear grows year-on-year
- Figure 49: Type of footwear purchased, by channel used, 2023
- Young generation prefer a smartphone for online purchasing
- Figure 50: Channels used to purchase footwear, by age, 2023
- Growth in footwear shoppers using specialist stores and sports retailers
- Figure 51: Types of retailer footwear was purchased from, 2021-23
- Sports Direct gains popularity with footwear consumers
- Figure 52: Retailers footwear has been purchased from, 2021-23
- Online remains popular channel for footwear shopping
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Influence and Inspiration Factors
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- Figure 53: Where consumers look for inspiration before purchasing footwear, 2023
- Younger consumers rely on recommendations
- Figure 54: Where consumers look for inspiration before purchasing footwear, by generation, 2023
- Importance of an in-store presence for footwear
- Figure 55: Inspiration for buying footwear, by women’s footwear type, 2023
- Figure 56: Inspiration for buying footwear, by men’s footwear type, 2023
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Purchase Drivers
- Most purchase footwear to replace old styles
- Figure 57: Reasons for purchasing footwear, 2023
- Younger consumers more likely to treat themselves
- Figure 58: Reasons for purchasing footwear, by age, 2023
- Most purchase footwear to replace old styles
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Attitudes towards Footwear Purchasing
- Comfort and price drive footwear shopping
- Figure 59: Attitudes towards footwear purchasing, 2023
- Younger generations more engaged with reselling footwear
- Figure 60: Attitudes towards footwear purchasing, by generation, 2023
- Comfort and price drive footwear shopping
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Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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Appendix – Forecast Methodology
- Market forecast and prediction intervals
- Figure 61: Best- and worst-case forecast for consumer spending on footwear, 2022-27
- Market drivers and assumptions
- Forecast methodology
- Market forecast and prediction intervals
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