Boost for French footwear exports

Sales of French-made footwear, handbags and leathergoods have improved.

Data compiled by the French National Leather Council (Conseil National du Cuir) indicates that between January and August 2021, French footwear exports – not including slippers – grew by 19 per cent to EUR 2.57 billion (GBP 2.18 billion/USD 2.90 billion) when compared to the same period in the previous year. In addition, exports of leathergoods during this time are said to have grown by 34 per cent over the equivalent 2020 figures to reach EUR 6.31 billion (GBP 5.35 billion/USD 7.13 billion). Of this total, EUR 3.83 billion (GBP 3.25 billion/USD 4.33 billion) was derived from the export of French-made handbags.

In the first eight months of 2021, footwear imports into France totalled EUR 4.46 billion (GBP 3.78 billion/USD 5.04 billion), which reportedly represents an increase of 14 per cent year-on-year. Slipper imports have grown at the same rate, at a cost of EUR 75.1 million (GBP 63.7 million/USD 84.8 million).

In 2020, France was reportedly the third-largest footwear importer in the world in terms of value and is said to have had the seventh-highest export figures. Although French exports had grown slowly since 2018, these – along with the volume of imports – dropped last year, most likely due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 2 of the December 2021 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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