Portuguese footwear exports increase but fall in value to €1.7Bn

Portugal exported 68 million pairs of footwear to 170 countries in 2024, a growth of 3.9% in volume, but a drop of 5.4% in value compared to 2023, to €1.724Bn, according to INE.

Based on the most recent data from the National Statistics Institute (INE), the Portuguese Association of Footwear, Components, Leather Goods and their Substitutes (APICCAPS) points out that, even so, this fall compares with a loss of 8.2% in the Portuguese industry’s biggest competitor, Italy, and a 7% drop in the world’s largest footwear producer. China.

Although the president of APICCAPS, Luís Onofre pointed out that “the last quarter (of 2024) saw growth of 14.3%, he accepted that “the year was very difficult in terms of overseas exports”.

“On the one hand, there is a noticeable slowdown in the main international markets, namely Germany, France and the Netherlands, which affected the main players in the sector and our companies in particular.

But the sector’s strategy of diversifying the products offer is starting to bear fruit”, underlines the association leader.

Although exports of leather footwear fell by 6% in 2024, to 40 million pairs, exports of footwear in other materials (waterproof, plastic or textile) increased by 22.6% to 28 million pairs.

“While we believe that leather footwear is our best product on the market, which is why it represents more than 80% of our sales in value because it is a natural product, technically more robust and considerably more sustainable, and has a longer life span, we have made a considerable effort to invest in a new generation of products, namely the BioShoes4All project”, says Luís Onofre.

Leather footwear currently represents 83% of Portuguese footwear exports, with Portugal standing out as the 10th largest exporter in the world in this segment. In total, footwear ‘Made in Portugal’ was sold in 170 countries last year, with Belize being the most recent new destination for Portuguese exports in the sector.

By markets, Europe continues to be “the natural market” for Portuguese footwear, especially Germany (14 million pairs, worth €391 million), France (15 million pairs, worth €348 million) and the Netherlands (five million pairs, worth €197 million).

Also noteworthy are the United Kingdom (three million pairs sold in 2024, worth €113 million), and the USA, where sales have increased by 25% over the last three years to two million pairs, worth €97 million.