U.S. retail footwear prices rose 5.2 percent year-over-year (YoY) in May, accelerating from a 4.2 percent gain in April and marking the fastest increase in 45 months, according to the latest data from the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA).
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Wednesday, June 10, that the consumer price index rose at a seasonally adjusted 0.5 percent for the month, putting the annual inflation rate at 4.2 percent, marking the fastest pace in three years.
According to the FDRA, the 4.2 percent gain in May in footwear prices marks the fifth time in the last six months that footwear price gains have accelerated. Footwear prices grew 2.4 percent in March, 1.5 percent in February and 2.0 percent in January.
Among categories, May’s 4.2 percent retail footwear price gain was led by women’s retail footwear prices, which climbed 6.2 percent, the most in 45 months. Men’s shoe prices increased 5.4 percent last month, the highest rate in 54 months, while children’s footwear prices rose 2.3 percent in May.
FDRA officials charged that the footwear inflation is increasingly tied to tariff policies affecting the footwear supply chain.
“Families are feeling the squeeze, and the footwear industry is seeing it play out in real time,” said Matt Priest, president and CEO of FDRA, in a statement. “While there are many factors contributing to inflation, tariffs are playing an outsized role in driving up the cost of everyday essentials like shoes. These are not discretionary items — they’re a necessity — and the longer these policies remain in place, the more pressure they put on American households.”
“Reducing footwear tariffs remains the most immediate step policymakers can take to provide relief,” Priest added. “Without action, these costs will continue to compound, and American families will continue to pay the price.”
FDRA Chief Economist Gary Raines added that retail footwear prices have now risen in nine of the last ten months. Said Raines. “What stands out is that footwear prices are rising faster than overall inflation, which is unusual and points to structural cost pressures beyond typical economic trends—particularly tariffs. At this trajectory, 2026 is on pace to see one of the fastest increases in footwear prices in more than three decades. These pressures have been building across the supply chain and are now clearly reaching store shelves and increasingly price-sensitive consumers.”
Image courtesy Nike
