German Fashion Consumer Panel 2026 shows declining purchasing intensity
German consumers continue to base their clothing purchasing decisions primarily on functional criteria. According to the "German Fashion Consumer Panel 2026," a good fit remains the most important selection criterion, with 96 percent agreement. Comfort and good value for money follow, each with 95 percent, while quality reaches 90 percent. Interest in fashion has declined significantly in Germany. 40 percent of consumers do not actively seek information about fashion and clothing.
“People in Germany want to save money, especially on personal items like fashion,” says Theresa Schleicher, a retail expert with the network “The Future Project.” The reason, she explains, is the rising cost of living. Young people are more likely to invest their money in financial plans than in a handbag. Furthermore, discount retailers and a culture of cheap goods have created the expectation that clothing shouldn't cost much. “What has less value is less needed and desired.”
At the same time, consumers are shopping more cautiously and using fewer sales channels. While an average of 4,3 shopping methods were used simultaneously in 2022, this figure has now dropped to 3,4. This decline affects both brick-and-mortar stores and online offerings, with a particularly noticeable impact on local specialist retailers.
Sustainability aspects remain relevant, but take a back seat to fit, quality, and value for money when it comes to actual purchasing decisions. Avoiding the exploitation of people in production countries is important or rather important to 71 percent of those surveyed. Sustainability labels, on the other hand, play only a minor role for many customers.
Brick-and-mortar stores remain an important source of information: Nearly three out of ten respondents seek information about trends, products, and brands in clothing stores. Influencers and celebrity endorsements, on the other hand, are losing reach. Women seek information about fashion and clothing significantly more often than men. Most customers predominantly and frequently purchase clothing in stores of retailers such as H&M, Zara, or C&A, as the GermanFashion study shows.
“The results suggest less of a shift between individual distribution channels than a generally more cautious consumer attitude,” explains German Fashion President Justus Lebek.
