Portuguese footwear doubles sales outside Europe

20/05/2014

The Portuguese footwear industry has more than doubled its sales outside Europe , diversifying exports to over 18 countries over the past three years. Among the 150 destinations on five continents where Portugal is currently exporting are firsts as Costa Rica , Yemen, Syria, Vietnam and Tanzania .

The data are advanced in the April edition of the Portuguese Association of Industrial Footwear , Components , Leather Goods and Their Substitutes ( APICCAPS ) and arise as a result of enhanced beyond the European Union backs . Exports more than doubled in the last four years to destinations like China , the U.S. , Japan and Russia , which already account for 13 % of total sales out, against 8 % in 2008.

Overall, the value of Portuguese footwear exports increased by over 40 % since 2009 , with an annual average of € 500 million . As for volumes , these rose from 63 to 74 million pairs .

The APICCAPS highlights the growth seen " in virtually all major markets' , with sales to the European Union to increase 31 % to EUR 1,513 million . In France , the results showed improvements of 19 % , increasing revenues to 428 million euros , while in Germany , increased 38 % to EUR 318 million and the Netherlands 41 % to EUR 234 million .

In turn , for the UK market sales of Portuguese footwear increased by 14 % and Spain 43 % to € 164 million . Outside Europe , performance was rated by the entity as " excellent " , translated into a 160% growth in sales .

 Here , the focus is on Russia ( over 491 % ) , USA ( over 237 % ) , Angola ( over 107 % ) , Canada ( over 237 % ) and Japan (up 126 % ) . Since 2009 , Portuguese companies have also succeeded in "awakening to Australia (with sales already close to EUR 9 million ) , China ( over 5 million ) and the United Arab Emirates ( close to 5 million ) ."

Source: http://boasnoticias.sapo.pt/