Both the U.S. and Brazil have seen large job losses in the shoe sector amid the spread of the coronavirus both in the two countries and globally.
Data from the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America showed that estimated employment in the U.S. shoe industry, including manufacturing, repair, wholesale, distribution and retail trades, stood at about 127,000 compared to 316,000 on March 1, before Covid-19 struck. This indicates that some 189,000 workers have either been laid off or furloughed.
From March 23 to April 28, Brazil lost 26,485 jobs in the footwear business, according to figures from the shoe manufacturers association Abicalçados. In addition to the impact of the pandemic on local retail, Abicalçados highlighted a drop in exports, for which shipments are projected to fall by at least 46.4 percent in the second quarter after a 8.5 percent decline in the first three months of the year.
