UK Clothing & Footwear Sector Report summary
May 2021
Period covered: Period covered: 04 April – 01 May 2021
Note: This report summary is one or two months behind the current month as standard reporting practice. The content is indicative only and incomplete with certain data undisclosed. Become a member to access this data or take out a free 30 day trial now.
Clothing sales ballooned by 00% in April compared to the dismal -76.2% decline during the first lockdown a year earlier.
For consumers, April brought mixed emotions. The easing of restrictions in line with the government’s roadmap collided with uncertainty and frustration. This saw GfK’s consumer confidence measure rise by just one point in April.
For clothing retailers, the easing of restrictions saw non-essential shops, outdoor hospitality, gyms and hairdressers in England reopen for the first time in three months.
The sunniest April on record was also the coldest in over 30 years with consumers needing outerwear and knitwear to meet friends and family outdoor.
While online retailers have benefited from non-essential store closures during lockdowns, supermarkets have benefited from their ‘essential’ status, enabling them to capture market share in apparel as well.
By 19 April, a high 18% of shoppers had visited clothing shops following the reopening – ahead of any other retail category. This saw clothing sales in supermarkets fall 9.4% in April compared to March, according to ONS data (value, non-seasonally adjusted).
Online Clothing & Footwear sales growth rose further in April, rising by 00% year-onyear, against a 19.0% decline a year ago.
Retail Economics forecasts Clothing sales to rebound over 2021, growing by 00% year-on-year.
Australia’s largest fashion retailer Cotton On has launched online in the UK.
Footwear sales jumped 00% year-on-year in April against a dire 79.0% drop off in sales a year earlier.
Compared to pre-pandemic levels, sales were down an eyewatering 00% compared to April 2019.
Retail Economics forecasts Footwear sales to rebound over 2021. However, we expect the footwear market will struggle to fully return to pre-pandemic sales levels by the end of our forecast period in 2025.
Discount footwear retailer Shoeaholics is set to open a new store at Westfield White City.
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Online Clothing and Footwear
Source: ONS (value, non-seasonally adjusted *Period aligned to ONS trading calendar 04 April – 01 May 2021)
