Overall consumer expenditure on footwear outperformed retail sales for the specialist sector, rising £4.7 billion in 2001

With some brands trebling sales of fashion boots - Has the popularity of fashion boots curtailed purchasing of causal shoes?

Are consumers aged 15-24 the most active footwear purchasers?

Mintel Retail Intelligence last examined the footwear retailing sector in February 2001. Since then the market has continued to develop in the UK. There is a revived interest in store refits, modernisation and fashion. Clarks retail has been leading the way with a significant corporate rebranding exercise that has encompassed stores, image and merchandise. Marks & Spencer has begun to win back favour among consumers helping to revive women's fashions and this is having a significant effect on footwear shopping within the chain. Meanwhile, diversification of footwear into other types of retailer is continuing. Fashion chains and menswear specialists are continuing to feature footwear ranges, while the rising star of the discount sector, Matalan, is also addressing footwear within its product mix. Supermarkets are selling footwear but will need to expand their activities further if they are to match the penetration that they are achieving in other non-food lines, especially clothing.

In this report, Mintel Retail Intelligence examines footwear retailing in the UK, highlighting factors behind successes within the marketplace. The report predicts the outlook for footwear retailing in the UK and highlights the factors that retailers will need to address in order to be successful.

Other relevant Mintel reports include:

- Sportswear Retailing, Retail Intelligence - UK Report, January 2002

- Womenswear, Consumer Goods Intelligence - UK Report, November 2001

- Menswear Designer Retailing, Retail Intelligence - UK Report, September 2001

- Footwear, Market Intelligence - UK Report, August 2001

- Menswear Mainstream Retailing, Retail Intelligence - UK Report, August 2001

- Menswear Discount Retailing, Retail Intelligence - UK Report, July 2001

- Womenswear Designer Retailing, Retail Intelligence - UK Report, June 2001

- Womenswear Mainstream Retailing, Retail Intelligence - UK Report, May 2001

- Womenswear Discount Retailing, Retail Intelligence - UK Report, April 2001

- Men's Outerwear, Market Intelligence - UK Report, January 2001

- Women's Outerwear, Market Intelligence - UK Report, July 2000.