Germany’s shoes industry has had a tricky 2024, which is more than can be said for other countries given the current economic climate. There were still some modest gains in domestic sales and exports. Total sales across the sector reached 2.12 billion euros, which is a nominal increase of just 2.4% nominal increase. This growth was largely driven by a 4.5% rise in domestic sales, which climbed from 1.55 billion euros to 1.62 billion euros. This would have been good news on its own if foreign sales didn’t experience a quick nose dive by 6.6%. Even so, employment rates grew for the year. Large footwear companies, defined as those with more than 50 employees, expanded their workforce by 2.65%, employing 9,283 individuals. For smaller enterprises, the total number of people working in the sector reached around 15,500. Wage growth outpaced inflation as salaries rrose over 8% to 27.9 million euros. On the export front, Germany’s shoes industry performed well with total export value increasing by 3% to 10.4 billion euros. Consumer prices for footwear rose by 5.51% in 2024, a softer increase than the 7.21% jump recorded in 2023 but still significantly above the general inflation rate. At the manufacturing level, prices showed moderate increases of 0.79%, down from 1.43% in the previous year. Looking ahead, the sector faces mounting challenges. Germany’s economy contracted by 0.2% in 2024, and growth projections for 2025 have been revised downward. Nonetheless, niche segments like sports, barefoot shoes, and luxury footwear are expected to outperform the broader market. Companies are also forced to adapt to new environmental regulations and political uncertainties across the region, particularly in light of upcoming elections in Germany, Austria, and France.