Clothing And Footwear in the United Kingdom
Euromonitor International's Clothing And Footwear in the United Kingdom market report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at a national level. It provides the latest retail sales data, allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. It identifies the leading companies, the leading brands and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market - be they new product developments, packaging innovations, economic/lifestyle influences, distribution or pricing issues. Forecasts illustrate how the market is set to change.
Tables: 55 | Publication date: Mar 2009
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Executive summary
Clothing and footwear dives along with rest of economy
Along with almost every other retail sector in the UK economy, the clothing and footwear sectors have been badly hit in 2008 by the recession. The UK has been in decline since mid-2008 but was badly stumbling towards this point in 2007 as reflected in declining figures across the board. The recession in the main economy has been prompted in part by the serious shortage of credit worldwide. It was this shortage in credit and consequent decline in consumer disposable income, that seriously dented the thriving clothing market, much of whose strength had in the past been reliant on middle-earning consumers borrowing in order to buy.
Grocery retailers pick up the pieces
The trend away from high street clothing specialists towards grocery retailers has been a long-term trend evident since the 1990s. In the current climate, however, the supermarkets and discounters are particularly well-placed to scoop up large parts of the market which no longer have the ready cash to buy the clothes that they were previously buying. Whereas in the past, this sector has been emboldened by cheap imported clothing and consumer habits moving away from quality formal wear towards much more casual clothing, these stores now are benefiting simply from their ability to undercut the rest of the market place on price.
Currency volatility means the end of savage price-cutting
In the second half of 2008 the pound, which had been previously been performing very strongly, suddenly went into freefall as the fragility of the UK economy became clear. With investors deserting the pound for more stable currencies, the buying power of the British clothing and footwear industry has been significantly affected. Following 10 years of continued radical price cuts, it now looks as though the clothing and footwear market is going to have to start to increase prices just to make a profit. The danger here is that such price rises will drive away custom still further. But in the review period, a combination of price cuts and the weak performance of the sector all round meant that suppliers made significant losses in almost all areas.
Move towards functionality and affordability
Throughout the review period, it is evident that consumers have been moving more towards functional clothing and footwear and away from quality brands and clothing for fashion, design or style reasons. This is principally a function of the declining credit positions of most consumers. After many years in which clothing has become the defining lifestyle sector, it appears that consumers now confronted with larger and more pressing outgoings, are reverting to the prudent position of buying clothes when needed. Equally, there have been substantial gains for cheap retailers as this attitude feeds through into the distribution channel.
Forecast fall in growth until at least 2011
Clothing and footwear are forecast to decline in growth across the next two years as the UK recession continues through 2010. Although there is a consensus that growth will return to the economy in 2010 there is no guarantee that results will start to improve in the retail sector until as early as 2011. Much will depend on the speed and extent to which prosperity returns to the economy. The clothing and footwear sectors are like most retail sectors dependent on consumer disposable income, as well as on the provision of credit to both customers and businesses. For both these to be available in abundance it requires recoveries of both the banking sector and the general economy, and it is for this reason that positive growth is not forecast until 2011.
Table of contents
CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR IN THE UNITED KINGDOM : MARKET INSIGHT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Clothing and footwear dives along with rest of economy
Grocery retailers pick up the pieces
Currency volatility means the end of savage price-cutting
Move towards functionality and affordability
Forecast fall in growth until at least 2011
KEY TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS
Consumers staying away from high street
Price cutting coming to an end
Casual wear remains dominant
Customers valuing functional and cheap clothes over style
Private label dominates market share
MARKET DATA
Table 1 Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: Volume 2003-2008
Table 2 Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: Value 2003-2008
Table 3 Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: % Volume Growth 2003-2008
Table 4 Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: % Value Growth 2003-2008
Table 5 Clothing and Footwear Company Shares 2004-2008
Table 6 Clothing and Footwear Brand Shares 2005-2008
Table 7 Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Distribution Format: % Analysis 2003-2008
Table 8 Forecast Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: Volume 2008-2013
Table 9 Forecast Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: Value 2008-2013
Table 10 Forecast Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: % Volume Growth 2008-2013
Table 11 Forecast Sales of Clothing and Footwear by Sector: % Value Growth 2008-2013
DEFINITIONS
Summary 1 Research Sources
LOCAL COMPANY PROFILES - UNITED KINGDOM
ARCADIA GROUP LTD - CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR - UNITED KINGDOM
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 2 Arcadia Group Ltd: Key Facts
Table 12 Arcadia Group Ltd: Operational Indicators
COMPANY BACKGROUND
PRODUCTION
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
Table 13 Arcadia Group Ltd: Competitive Position 2008
CLARKS FOOTWEAR LTD - CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR - UNITED KINGDOM
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 3 Clarks Ltd: Key Facts
Table 14 Clarks Ltd: Operational Indicators
COMPANY BACKGROUND
PRODUCTION
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
Summary 4 Clarks Ltd: Competitive Position 2008
MARKS & SPENCER PLC - CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR - UNITED KINGDOM
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 5 Marks & Spencer Plc: Key Facts
Table 15 Marks & Spencer Plc: Operational Indicators
COMPANY BACKGROUND
PRODUCTION
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
Summary 6 Marks & Spencer Plc: Competitive Position 2008
NEXT PLC - CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR - UNITED KINGDOM
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 7 Next Plc: Key Facts
Table 16 Next Plc: Operational Indicators
COMPANY BACKGROUND
PRODUCTION
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
Summary 8 Next Plc: Competitive Position 2008
UMBRO PLC - CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR - UNITED KINGDOM
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 9 Umbro Plc: Key Facts
Table 17 Umbro Plc: Operational Indicators
COMPANY BACKGROUND
PRODUCTION
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
Summary 10 Umbro Plc: Competitive Position 2008
CLOTHING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
HEADLINES
TRENDS
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
PROSPECTS
New Product Developments
Summary 11 New Product Launches 2007- 2008
SECTOR DATA
Table 18 Sales of Clothing by Subsector: Volume 2003-2008
Table 19 Sales of Clothing by Subsector: Value 2003-2008
Table 20 Sales of Clothing by Subsector: % Volume Growth 2003-2008
Table 21 Sales of Clothing by Subsector: % Value Growth 2003-2008
Table 22 Sales of Men’s Outerwear by Type 2003-2008
Table 23 Sales of Women’s Outerwear by Type 2003-2008
Table 24 Sales of Childrenswear by Type 2003-2008
Table 25 Clothing Company Shares 2004-2008
Table 26 Clothing Brand Shares 2005-2008
Table 27 Sales of Clothing by Distribution Format: % Analysis 2003-2008
Table 28 Forecast Sales of Clothing by Subsector: Volume 2008-2013
Table 29 Forecast Sales of Clothing by Subsector: Value 2008-2013
Table 30 Forecast Sales of Clothing by Subsector: % Volume Growth 2008-2013
Table 31 Forecast Sales of Clothing by Subsector: % Value Growth 2008-2013
FOOTWEAR IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
HEADLINES
TRENDS
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
PROSPECTS
New Product Developments
Summary 12 New Product Launches 2007- 2008
SECTOR DATA
Table 32 Sales of Footwear by Subsector: Volume 2003-2008
Table 33 Sales of Footwear by Subsector: Value 2003-2008
Table 34 Sales of Footwear by Subsector: % Volume Growth 2003-2008
Table 35 Sales of Footwear by Subsector: % Value Growth 2003-2008
Table 36 Sales of Footwear by Type 2003-2008
Table 37 Footwear Company Shares 2004-2008
Table 38 Footwear Brand Shares 2005-2008
Table 39 Sales of Footwear by Distribution Format: % Analysis 2003-2008
Table 40 Forecast Sales of Footwear by Subsector: Volume 2008-2013
Table 41 Forecast Sales of Footwear by Subsector: Value 2008-2013
Table 42 Forecast Sales of Footwear by Subsector: % Volume Growth 2008-2013
Table 43 Forecast Sales of Footwear by Subsector: % Value Growth 2008-2013