PORTUGAL EXPORTED 1.904 MILLION EUROS OF FOOTWEAR IN 2018

In a statement, the Portuguese Association of Footwear, Components, Leather Goods and its Substitutes (APICCAPS) said that these figures, found by its study’s office, can be justified by the "slowdown in the main world economies where the Portuguese footwear industry exports more than 95% of its production”.

The Association also pointed "the impact of the commercial war between the United States and China, the slowdown in the European economy and the crisis in several emerging markets, as "the main reasons for the cut of the predictions” of the International Monetary Fund (FMI), which "revised downward the growing prospects to 2018 and revealed itself less optimistic”. 

The biggest competitors of Portugal, Italy and Spain also suffered from this context, referred APICCAPS.

Even though, the association makes a positive balance of Portugal’s performance since 2010.

So, until 2017, "the Portuguese footwear production increased 34% to 89 million pairs. In the same period, in Spain, it grew only 7% (to 102 million pairs), while Italy, the great competitor of Portugal, decreased production in 6% to 191 million pairs”.

Likewise, in terms of value, "Italian sales abroad increased 19%”, to 10 billion dollars (8.7 billion euros) and "Portuguese sales increased 23% to 2.2 billion dollars (1.9 billion euros) – absolute record in 2017 – according to data from the World Footwear Yearbook”, said APICCAPS.

In order to face future challenges, namely in terms of the reduction of value, "APICCAPS will invest, in 2019, more than 18 million euros in external promotion in order to reposition the Portuguese footwear in foreign markets”, it’s said in the same note.

"The participation in the main international events of the specialty in more than 15 markets will require an investment of around 16 million euros. In total, about 200 companies in the line will integrate this great promotional offensive”, said the association.

In addition, the sector will invest more than two million euros in brand promotion.