The 14th Edition of the World Footwear Business Conditions Survey found that footwear executives were generally upbeat about business prospects but slightly less so than the prior survey taken last fall.

The survey of 108 footwear executives across all major regions from the World Footwear by Portuguese Shoes, taken in April 2026, found that 61 percent of respondents expect their companies’ business situation over the next six months to be “Strong” or “Very Strong,” down from 71 percent in a survey taken over October through November 2025.

Footwear manufacturers are less optimistic than other footwear businesses, with a +17 percentage points positive balance between favorable and unfavorable opinions, compared to +63 percentage points for footwear trade and distribution businesses.

Geographically, respondents in Europe are substantially less optimistic than those in other continents, but positive opinions prevail everywhere.

World Footwear’s report notes that the IMF, in mid-April, downgraded its forecast for global growth to 3.1 percent in 2026 from 3.3 percent in January, reflecting the impact of the U.S.-Iran conflict on energy prices, trade routes and inflationary pressures. The expected growth would mark a deceleration from a 3.4 percent expansion in 2025.

However, World Footwear noted that footwear trade data for 2025 nevertheless shows import growth in most major markets, especially in Europe, although the United States and China recorded declines.

The report states, “The results indicate that the global footwear industry remains broadly optimistic, although expectations are more measured than in the previous semester and increasingly shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, cost pressures, and regional disparities.”

Among other findings from the survey:

  • Employment expectations point mainly to stability, with just over half of companies expecting no change, 32 percent anticipating an increase and 16 percent expecting a decrease.
  • Expectations for prices and quantities sold remain favorable. Almost 90 percent of respondents expect retail footwear prices to rise over the next six months, while almost three-quarters anticipate growth in the number of pairs sold. World Footwear said, “This suggests that the positive outlook reflects expected demand growth as well as inflationary pressure. However, Europe again stands out as the least dynamic region.”

Cost pressures remain the industry’s main concern. The cost of merchandise and raw materials is cited by 41 percent of respondents, closely followed by competition in the home market at 40 percent. The remaining top five were:

  • Insufficient demand in our home market, 29 percent; Insufficient demand in international markets, 22 percent; and taxes, 19 percent. World Footwear said, “Insufficient domestic demand remains relevant but continues to lose prominence, suggesting some improvement in market conditions.”
  • The survey confirmed a continuing shift toward digital retail. Own-brand online retail stores are viewed as the most promising channel for the next three years, followed by multi-brand online shoe or fashion stores and general online sellers. Expectations for physical retail are more measured and have weakened when compared with the Autumn 2025 survey. Large-scale retail and multi-brand shoe retail stores still get more positive than negative responses. The outlook for own-brand physical retail stores is the least favorable, with more respondents believing their market share will decrease than increase.
  • Footwear experts remain strongly expansionary regarding global footwear consumption in 2026, with more than 80 percent expecting growth and an indicative average increase of approximately 10.5 percent.
  • The U.S.-Iran conflict is perceived as a “material business risk,” with nearly 45 percent of respondents considering a significant negative impact likely or very likely. The most frequently identified channel through which the conflict could affect the footwear business is an increase in transportation and logistics costs, selected by 30.6 percent of respondents. That is followed closely by higher raw material and other input costs, selected by 27.8 percent, and then by higher energy costs, selected by 18.5 percent.

Methodology: The 14th Edition of the online survey was conducted in and received 108 valid responses: 40 percent from Asia, 33 percent from Africa, 17 percent from Europe, 6 percent from South America, and 4 percent from North America. Almost one-half of the respondents, 47 percent, are involved in footwear manufacturing or trade and distribution. The remaining respondents work in other footwear-related activities, including education and research, trade associations, consultancy, and other areas.