The German shoe market remains sluggish. Following the second consecutive decline in 2025, IFH Cologne and BBE Retail Consulting do not expect a turnaround in 2026 either. A further slight decline to around €9,3 billion is anticipated for the current year.
This is no longer just about a generally weak consumer sentiment. Consumers are fundamentally changing how they buy and use shoes. Thirty percent of consumers surveyed by the IFH spent less than 100 euros on fashion in the past twelve months. Twelve percent even refrained from making any such purchases altogether.
One shoe for as many occasions as possible
One of the most important trends is what the IFH calls "wardrobe rationalization." Instead of buying many different styles of shoes, consumers are purchasing fewer and paying closer attention to ensuring that their shoes are suitable for different outfits, occasions, and seasons. Comfort and versatility are thus gaining importance over a strict separation by season and occasion.
Closely related to this is the trend towards "smart casual." Sneakers, loafers, and new hybrid styles can be combined with both casual and more elegant outfits. This is changing the balance within the shoe market. While women's shoes remain the largest product category with a market share of 28,7 percent, athletic shoes are now close behind at 26,2 percent. Market researchers even expect a sales increase of 5,7 percent for sneakers by 2026.
Sandals lose significant grounding
On the losing side, however, are classic sandals. In 2025, sales of these shoes in Germany amounted to only €548 million. In 2019, the figure was €621 million – a decline of almost twelve percent, more than twice as steep as in the overall shoe market during the same period.
IFH expert Hansjürgen Heinick sees a connection to the rise of sneakers. Whereas previously, for example, office shoes were swapped for summer shoes, today sneakers are often simply worn continuously. The additional seasonal purchase is no longer necessary.
Children's shoes are especially under pressure
The children's shoe market is facing even greater challenges. Besides declining birth rates, the financial situation of many families is also having an impact. Shoes are being bought new less often, more frequently passed down, or purchased secondhand. Secondhand platforms like Vinted are further intensifying competition.
The fact that consumers are cutting back on shoes isn't even due to particularly steep price increases. According to the Federal Statistical Office, children's shoes have only become around seven percent more expensive since 2020, sports shoes six percent, and classic men's and casual shoes just over nine percent. Food prices, on the other hand, rose by an average of 37 percent during the same period. The problem, therefore, is less the price of shoes themselves than the available budget of households.
Online share continues to rise
For brick-and-mortar shoe retailers, weaker demand coincides with an already ongoing structural transformation. By 2025, nearly 38 percent of shoe sales were generated online. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, this figure was just over 24 percent. At the same time, the number of shoe retailers has fallen from 7.247 in 2000 to around 2.420. The German Shoe Retailers Association (BTE) currently estimates there are still approximately 8.200 shoe stores in Germany.
