Porto, Aug. 28, 2026 (Lusa) - Portuguese footwear exports fell by 2.1% in the first half of the year, year-on-year, to €813 million, against a backdrop of a «general slowdown in global footwear trade», the industry association APICCAPS announced on Friday.
According to the Portuguese Association of Footwear, Components, Leather Goods and Substitutes Manufacturers (APICCAPS), this decline was, nevertheless, less severe than that recorded by Italy and Spain – Portugal's two main competitors – whose cumulative losses up to May stood at 4.3% and 7.3%, respectively.
«The Portuguese footwear industry is going through a very difficult period, as are most of the world's leading producers. Even so, Portugal has managed to withstand the pressure better than many of its competitors and maintain an international position based on value, quality and the responsiveness of its companies,» says the executive director of APICCAPS, quoted in the association's latest newsletter.
Whilst acknowledging that «the contraction in exports cannot be downplayed», Paulo Gonçalves stresses that «it must be viewed in the context of a general slowdown in the global footwear trade» and considers that «the results show that Portugal's strategy remains appropriate and that companies have managed to defend their markets in an environment of enormous pressure».
«The sector is operating under intense pressure: the armed conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East continue to affect the fashion value chain, significantly reducing access to luxury markets that have traditionally been important for Portuguese companies,» he explains.
A situation, «exacerbated by logistical disruptions, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz, which are severely hampering economic activity and contributing to higher costs».
According to APICCAPS, «internationally, all the major players faced significant difficulties in the first five months of 2026», with China recording losses of 10.9%, Brazil 15.7% and Turkey 5.3%. Vietnam, however, proved more resilient than its Asian competitors, falling by just 1.3%.
In 2025, Portugal consolidated its lead over Spain in footwear production and remained Europe's second-largest producer, with domestic footwear exports growing by 0.8% to €1.718 billion, recovering after two years of decline and bucking the downward trend in the Italian and Spanish industries.
Germany was the main destination for Portuguese footwear, accounting for 24% of exports, followed by France with 20%, the Netherlands and Spain, both with 11% each, and the United Kingdom with 6%.
According to data from the ‘World Footwear Yearbook 2026', Portugal rose in 2025 to 18th place amongst the world's largest footwear producers, in a ranking led by China, which accounts for 55% of global production.
The study, published annually by APICCAPS, indicates that in 2025 Portugal accounted for 0.3% of world production by volume and 0.5% by value, with around 93% of the shoes produced in the country being sold in 174 markets.
In 2025, Portugal ranked 13th amongst the world's largest footwear exporters by value, with sales of $1.949 billion (around €1.718 billion at the exchange rate for the reference period), and 17th by volume, with 69 million pairs exported.
The average export price rose by 2.5% to $28.25 per pair, with the country retaining second place globally, behind only Italy.
APICCAPS notes that the Portuguese industry is diversifying its material and product categories: leather footwear has fallen from 69% of exports three years ago to 58%, whilst the share of rubber and plastic products has risen from 13% to 21% and that of textile products from 8% to 12%.
In the waterproof footwear sector, Portugal already ranks fifth amongst the world's leading exporters, with a 3.4% market share and sales of $55 million (€47.2 million).
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