Footwear foreign trade declines in the first half of the year
Germany exported 191.2 million pairs of footwear from January to June 2026, down 0.4% year-on-year, with a value of € 5.30 billion, which also declined by 0.7%. While sales to the main European Union markets decreased, the United States received 11.9 million pairs, an increase of 22.6%.
Imports also declined: 366 million pairs entered the country, a decrease of 6.8%, while their value fell by 9.8% to € 6.1 billion. China accounted for a 42.4% share, although declines were also recorded among the major Asian suppliers, according to the Federal Association of the German Footwear and Leather Goods Industry (HDS/L).