Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Products covered in this Report
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Footwear grows 8% in 2017
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- Figure 1: UK footwear sales, best- and worst-case forecast, 2013-23
- Men’s footwear outperforming
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- Figure 2: UK footwear sales, segmented by women’s, men’s and children’s, % share, 2015-17
- Footwear and clothing specialists market share reduced
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- Figure 3: Estimated distribution of spending on footwear, by type of retailer, 2015-17
- Unpredictable weather affects footwear sales
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- Figure 4: UK monthly mean temperature, year-on-year difference, January 2017-May 2018
- Companies and brands
- Sport-focused retailers continue to grow
- JD Sports number one for footwear
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- Figure 5: Estimated market shares for top 10 retailers of footwear, by value, 2017
- Clarks comes highly recommended
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- Figure 6: Key metrics for selected brands, April 2018
- The consumer
- Casual styles popular for all
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- Figure 7: Styles of women’s footwear purchased, May 2018
- Amazon most popular pureplay retailer
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- Figure 8: Retailers footwear has been purchased from, by channel, May 2018
- Wide range of sizes is important
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- Figure 9: Top factors in deciding where to purchase footwear, May 2018
- Comfort important aspect when choosing footwear
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- Figure 10: Top factors when deciding what footwear to purchase, May 2018
- Three quarters prefer to try shoes on in-store before buying
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- Figure 11: Footwear shopper behaviour, May 2018
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- What part does seasonality play in footwear sales?
- The facts
- The implications
- Men’s footwear fuelling growth in the market
- The facts
- The implications
- Growing demand for larger range of sizing
- The facts
- The implications
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- Figure 12: ASOS wide fit shoes, 2018
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Footwear grows 8% in 2017
- Footwear sales predicted to rise 26% by 2023
- Men’s footwear outperforming
- Sports good retailers increase share
- Unpredictable weather affects footwear sales
- People spending less on fashion items
Market Size and Forecast
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- Footwear shows strong growth of 8% in 2017
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- Figure 13: UK footwear sales, best- and worst-case forecast, 2013-23
- Footwear forecast to grow 26% by 2023
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- Figure 14: UK footwear sales, at current and 2018 prices, 2013-23
- Men’s footwear making gains
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- Figure 15: UK footwear sales, segmented by market value and percentage share, 2015-17
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- Figure 16: UK footwear sales, segmented by women’s, men’s and children’s, % share, 2015-17
- Forecast methodology
Channels to Market
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- Footwear and clothing specialists reduce market share
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- Figure 17: Estimated distribution of spending on footwear, by type of retailer, 2015-17
- Figure 18: Estimated distribution of spending on footwear, by type of retailer, 2015-17
Market Drivers
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- Increased acceptance of casual dressing
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- Figure 19: Items bought for sports use or casualwear, September 2017
- Unpredictable weather
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- Figure 20: UK monthly mean temperature, year-on-year difference, January 2017-May 2018
- Disposable income higher than ever …
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- Figure 21: Median UK disposable household income, 1977-2016 (2016 prices)
- … But housing costs surge
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- Figure 22: Median monthly private sector rent as a percentage of median gross monthly salary, by region, England and Wales, 2016
- People spending less on fashion items
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- Figure 23: Items respondents have purchased for themselves, percentage point change between March 2017-April 2018
- Impact of Brexit
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- Figure 24: Sterling to US Dollar exchange rate chart, by month, 2013-18
- Demographic changes
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- Figure 25: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2012-22
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- JD Sports has tripled its operating profit since 2015
- Footwear sales from fashion-driven retailers slow
- Online growth slows
- Brantano closes its retail stores
- Top 10 retailers lose market share
- Advertising spend increases in 2017
Leading Specialists
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- Clarks
- Footwear sales from fashion-forward retailers slow
- Jones Bootmaker changes ownership for the second time in one year
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- Figure 26: Leading footwear specialists: UK Revenues, 2013-17
- Sport focused retailers expand
- Shoe Zone takes advantage of closures
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- Figure 27: Leading footwear specialists: UK outlet numbers, 2013-17
- Sales per outlet
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- Figure 28: Leading footwear specialists: estimated UK sales per outlet, 2013-17
- Operating profit and margins
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- Figure 29: Leading footwear specialists: UK operating profits, 2013-17
Leading Non-specialist Retailers
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- Sports Direct continues spending spree
- M&S face facts
- JD has tripled its operating profit since 2015
- New Looks sales continue to fall
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- Figure 30: Leading non-specialist retailers: estimated footwear sales (excluding VAT), 2012-17
- Figure 31: In-store vs Online May 2018
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- Figure 8: Leading non-specialist retailers: Positioning, offer and brands stocked, 2017
Market Share
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- JD Sports number one for footwear
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- Figure 32: Estimated market shares for top 10 retailers of footwear, by value, 2017
- Figure 33: Estimated market shares for top 20 retailers of footwear, 2013-17
Online
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- Online forecast to account for almost £2.75 billion of footwear sales
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- Figure 34: Estimated online sales of footwear 2014-18
- Distribution
- Growth in confidence in online spending
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- Figure 35: Estimated distribution of online sales, 2015-17
- Leading players
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- Figure 36: Leading online footwear retailers: estimated online sales and online market shares, 2015-17
- Consumer research
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- Figure 37: Online retailers from where consumers have bought footwear for themselves in the last 12 months, May 2018
Space Allocation Summary
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- Specialists’ space allocation summary
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- Figure 38: Specialist footwear retailers’ space allocation estimates, June 2018
- Specialists detailed space allocation estimates
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- Figure 39: Specialist footwear retailers’ detailed space allocation estimates, June 2018
- Non-specialists space allocation overview
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- Figure 40: Non-specialist retailers’ footwear space allocation estimates, June 2018
- Non-specialists detailed space allocation estimates
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- Figure 41: Non-specialist footwear retailers’ detailed space allocation estimates, June 2018
- Non-specialists footwear departments
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- Figure 42: Estimated in-store footwear as percentage of total selling space in non-specialist footwear retailers, June 2018
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Sustainable footwear
- Ethical and environmentally friendly material
- Vegan footwear
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- Figure 43: Hugo Boss Piñatex trainers, 2018
- Bubble gum shoes
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- Figure 44: gumshoe made from recycled chewing gum
- Nike uses 3D printing to create the lightest possible trainer
- Athleisure: trend to permanent fixture
- Footwear collaborations
- Gucci DIY x Mytheresa.com
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- Figure 45: Gucci DIY x Mytheresa.com, 2017
- Alife x Crocs
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- Figure 46: Alife x Crocs collaboration, 2018
- Off-White x everyone
- Rick Owens x Birkenstock
- Disney x asics
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- Figure 47: asics Disney collaboration for the launch of the film the Incredibles 2
- Inclusivity
- ‘Nude’ is not a colour
- Transparency trading
- It’s all about kitten heels
- Lower heels are outselling high heels in sales
- Revisiting the archive
- Ferragamo to reissue shoe designs from the golden age of Hollywood
- Leading sportswear brands continue to re-release past models
- Retail theatre and experiential shopping
- In-store technology
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- Figure 48: Image of Browns East October 2017
- Figure 49: Farfetch store of the future, 2018
- Nike Reactland
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- Figure 4: Nike’s in-store retail video game Reactland
- Luxury footwear launches
- Authenticity and Integrity
- Incredibly useful design
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- Figure 50: Adidas EQT Support 93 / Berlin Collaboration January 2018
- 2018 to be the biggest year of trainer reselling
Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- Expenditure up 18.8% in 2017
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- Figure 1: Total above-the-line online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on footwear 2014-17
- Leading players
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- Figure 51: mahabis Facebook advert, 2018
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- Figure 52: recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure on footwear, by advertiser, 2014 - 2017
- Key campaigns
- asics - Back to Mindfulness
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- Figure 53: asics I Move Me campaign, featuring DJ Steve Aoki, 2018
- Majority of 2017 advertising budgets spent through TV commercials
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- Figure 54: Total Above-the-line online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on footwear, by media type in 2017
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- Figure 55: Total Above-the-line online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on footwear, by media type in 2017
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
Brand Research
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- Brand map
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- Figure 56: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, April 2018
- Key brand metrics
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- Figure 57: Key metrics for selected brands, April 2018
- Brand attitudes: Kurt Geiger consistently shows high quality
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- Figure 58: Attitudes, by brand, April 2018
- Brand personality: Skechers benefits from fun, accessible and upbeat image
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- Figure 59: Brand personality – macro image, April 2018
- Birkenstock enjoys comfort purchasing trend
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- Figure 60: Brand personality – micro image, April 2018
- Brand analysis
- Clarks makes efforts to change brand perceptions
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- Figure 61: User profile of Clarks, April 2018
- Birkenstock consumers are happy to pay a little extra for comfort
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- Figure 62: User profile of Birkenstock, April 2018
- Skechers benefits from a high level of brand awareness
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- Figure 63: User profile of Skechers, April 2018
- UGG perceived as being overrated
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- Figure 64: User profile of UGG, April 2018
- Dr. Martens perceived to set trends amongst young demographic
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- Figure 65: User profile of Dr. Martens, April 2018
- Kurt Geiger worth paying more for
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- Figure 66: User profile of Kurt Geiger, April 2018
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Casual styles popular across the board
- Young men driving footwear sales
- Amazon top performing pureplay retailer
- Sports retailers more appealing to male shoppers
- Wide range of sizes is important
- Iconic footwear proves popular
- Vegan footwear wanted
Types of Footwear Bought
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- Casual styles increasingly popular for women
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- Figure 67: Styles of women’s footwear purchased, May 2018
- Flip flops increasingly popular with young age group
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- Figure 68: Styles of men’s footwear purchased, May 2018
- Figure 69: Flip flops purchased, by age group, May 2018
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- Figure 70: Nike Benassi slide, 2018
- Young men most likely to purchase footwear
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- Figure 71: Those who have not bought any footwear for themselves in the last 12 months, by age group, May 2018
- Women more likely to purchase several styles
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- Figure 72: Repertoire of styles purchased, by gender, May 2018
- Trainers even more popular for children than school shoes
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- Figure 73: Styles of children’s footwear purchased, May 2018
- Those with younger children more likely to purchase several styles
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- Figure 74: Repertoire of styles purchased, by age of children in household, May 2018
Where Footwear is Bought
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- Three quarters shopped for footwear in-store
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- Figure 75: Channels used for footwear purchasing, by age, May 2018
- People more likely to go in-store when buying from specialists
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- Figure 76: Types of retailers footwear was purchased from, by channel, May 2018
- Three retailers come top
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- Figure 77: Retailers footwear has been purchased from, by channel, May 2018
- Amazon outperforms other pureplay retailers
- Gender split for sports retailers
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- Figure 78: Inside Sports Direct Oxford Street flagship store, 2018
- Figure 79: Percentage shopped for footwear at sports retailers, by gender, May 2018
- Clarks and Sainsbury’s popular with broad demographics
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- Figure 80: Clarks and Sainsbury’s footwear shoppers, by age group, May 2018
- Online shoppers more loyal
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- Figure 81: Repertoire of retailers purchased from, by channel, May 2018
Deciding Where to Purchase Footwear
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- Range of prices is top deciding factor
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- Figure 82: Top factors in deciding where to purchase footwear, May 2018
- Wide range of sizes growing more important
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- Figure 83: Importance of wide range of sizes, by age group, May 2018
Choosing Footwear
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- Comfort is the most important aspect when choosing footwear
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- Figure 84: Top factors when deciding what footwear to purchase, May 2018
- Brand most important aspect after comfort, quality, and style
- Eco-friendly materials low in priority list
Behaviour towards Buying Footwear
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- Three quarters will try shoes on in-store
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- Figure 85: Footwear shopper behaviour, May 2018
- Capitalising on the in-store preference
- Iconic footwear proves popular
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- Figure 86: Interest in buying re-released iconic footwear, by age and gender, May 2018
- Figure 87: Return of Buffalo London, 2018
- Changing weather a challenge for footwear
- Veganism making an impact on footwear
- Parents particularly interested in gender neutral footwear
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- Figure 88: Footwear retailing – CHAID – Tree output, May 2018
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- Figure 89: Footwear Retailing– CHAID – Table output, May 2018
- Methodology
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Forecast methodology
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- Figure 90: UK footwear sales, best- and worst-case forecast, 2018-23
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