Shoe-crazy Britain puts its foot down

While shoe retailers ponder summer sales and count the profits of seasonal sandal purchases, figures from recent years suggest that there is little to worry about for the British footwear market.

British shoe-sales in the five years up to 2007 grew faster than in any other European country, according to a report from consumer, media and market research supplier Mintel.

With annual sales of £6.5 billion in 2006 meaning a 38 per cent increase since 2001, it appears that Britain is engaged in a long love-affair with shoe-shopping.

If sales continue to increase at the 17 per cent level predicted by Mintel, 2010 will see British shoe retail generate £7.6 billion, leaving footwear companies with little to worry about.

Elsewhere, growth in the shoe market has been sluggish. The Italians still spend more on shoes than the British, but growth since 2001 has hovered around a mere one per cent, while rising only four per cent in France.

Birkenstocks wide range of attractive open shoes offers the kind of the kind of temptation that is helping to keep the British shoe market marching forward.