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Sudden braking of the Italian footwear sector in the first quarter of 2024, which records a contraction in bothexport (-9.7% in value and -10.3% in pairs) than the sales (-10.1%). The scenario emerges from the latest report produced by the Confindustria Moda Study Center for Assocalzaturifici, which also highlights a decline in purchases by Italian families (-1.6% in quantity and -0.7% in expenditure).
In the first quarter in Campania exports decreased by -2.9% in value. The top 5 export destinations of Campania, which cover 60.1% of the total, were: France (+15%), Germany (-8-8%), USA (-22.4%), Switzerland (+ 3.5%) and Spain (+76%). According to data from Infocamere-Movimprese, the number of active companies (including shoe factories and parts producers) recorded a decrease of -6 companies compared to last December, between industry and craftsmanship, accompanied by a negative balance of -39 employees.
As regards the hours of redundancy fund authorized by INPS in the first four months of the year for Campania companies in the leather supply chain, there was an increase of +484% compared to the same period of 2023: 2.5 million hours were authorized , a number +312% higher than the pre-emergency situation of the first 4 months of 2019.
Giovanna spoke about the national situation Ceolini, President of Assocalzaturifici: “Having closed 2023 with a substantial stability in turnover (14.58 billion euros, +0.6% on 2022) and exports, although with volumes already suffering, at the start of 2024 the footwear industry continued the slowdown that began in the second half of last year, now even more marked, with a strong reduction in orders and production activity (the Istat index of industrial production marks a -20.5% in the first 3 months). The usual survey conducted in May among our members highlighted a drop in turnover for 68% of the sample, with a non-negligible portion of Members (18%) reporting a contraction even greater than -20%. Furthermore, entrepreneurs’ sentiment does not show confidence: only 11% are confident in an improvement in the economic trend in the second quarter, which according to the interviewees’ forecasts is destined to close with a drop in turnover of around -7.4% on April-June 2023. Over 80% expect a turnaround no earlier than 2025″.
The report shows how, as regards exports (which account for 85% of national production), 51.9 million pairs were sold in the first quarter of 2024 (6 million less than in the same months last year), for 3.17 billion euros. After a stable January (at least in terms of value: +1.4%), the trend became more penalizing in February (-6.2%), until it recorded a collapse in the order of -20% in March , both in value and in pairs.
The analysis by product type shows declines, both in quantity and value, for all sectors. In particular, that of footwear with leather uppers, first in importance with an incidence of 65% on foreign sales in value, marks a -8.6% in volume with a -7% in value in the first 3 months of 2023.
