The Portuguese footwear industry exported 67 million pairs of shoes worldwide in 2024, up 3.3 percent from 2023. However, in value, exports fell by 6.5 perdent to €1.702 billion, according to the Portuguese footwear association Apiccaps citing preliminary data from the country’s statistics institute, INE.
Portugal exports more than 90 percent of its production worldwide.
“The year just ended was very difficult from an external perspective. On the one hand, there was 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. On the other hand, the sector’s strategy of diversifying its range of products is starting to become apparent, even though it often resorts to subcontracting abroad, as our main international competitors are already doing,” emphasized the president of Apiccaps, Luís Onofre.
Exports of leather footwear fell by 7 percent to 39 million pairs by 2024, while exports of footwear in other materials increased by 22.6 percent to 28 million pairs. Leather footwear accounts for more than 80 percent of sales in value, Onofre pointed out.
The European Union continues to be the main export market for Portuguese footwear. Based on Apiccaps’ estimates, shoe exports to Germany totaled 14 million pairs worth €383 million, shipments to France totaled 15 million pairs, worth €348 million, and those to the Netherlands amounted to 5 million pairs, worth €195 million. Among leading non-EU markets, exports to the UK totaled 3 million pairs, worth €113 million, while shipments to the US reached 2 million pairs, worth €94 million.
“All the indicators point to 2025 being a very challenging year, as the world’s main economies continue to show signs of strong stagnation. There are many signs of uncertainty,” Onofre commented.
Photo: © Daniel Seßler on Unsplash
