Competitive Landscape
Primark and Leder & Schuh Accelerate Store Expansion as H&M Contracts
Apparel and footwear specialists in Austria remained fragmented in 2025, with the leading retailer Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) GmbH accounting for 9% value share, down from 10% in 2020. This decline is directly linked to lower value sales and a reduction in store presence, as the company closed several H&M outlets and its last remaining Monki store.
Mergers, Acquisitions and New Entrants Reshape the Landscape
In June 2025, Change of Scandinavia acquired Palmers Textil AG, after Palmers filed for bankruptcy with liabilities of around EUR51 million and closed 50 stores in Austria. The new owner plans to drive long-term synergies in procurement and production, with Palmers to be gradually marketed abroad under the change lingerie brand, while retaining the Palmers brand domestically.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Apparel and Footwear Specialists industry in Austria with research from Euromonitor International's team of in-country analysts – experts by industry and geographic specialisation.
Key trends are clearly and succinctly summarised alongside the most current research data available. Understand and assess competitive threats and plan corporate strategy with our qualitative analysis, insight and confident growth projections.
If you're in the Apparel and Footwear Specialists industry in Austria, our research will help you to make informed, intelligent decisions; to recognise and profit from opportunity, or to offer resilience amidst market uncertainty.
The Apparel and Footwear Specialists in Austria report includes:
- Analysis of key supply-side and demand trends
- Detailed segmentation of international and local products
- Historic volume and value sizes, company and brand market shares
- Five year forecasts of market trends and market growth
- Robust and transparent research methodology, conducted in-country
This report answers:
- What is the market size of Apparel and Footwear Specialists in Austria?
- Which are the leading retailers in Apparel and Footwear Specialists in Austria?
- How is the rise of e-commerce and the expansion of modern grocery retail impacting traditional retail?
- How has the impact of COVID-19 and national lockdown impacted consumer demand?
- Which formats have benefited the most from stockpiling and enforced home seclusion?
- How will the wider economic impact of COVID-19 shape the retail landscape in the future?
- Where is future growth expected to be most dynamic?
Apparel and Footwear Specialists in Austria - Category analysis
Key Data Insights
Apparel and Footwear Specialists Summary
Discounters Perform Strongly as Inflation-Weary Shoppers Embrace Value Chains
Arket’S Café Concept Transforms Shopping into a Lifestyle Experience
Younger Shoppers Drive Second-Hand and Vintage Sales as Store Visits Decline
Primark and Leder & Schuh Accelerate Store Expansion as H&M Contracts
Mergers, Acquisitions and New Entrants Reshape the Landscape
Retail in Austria - Industry Overview
2025 Development
Key Data Insights
Retail Consolidation Shapes the Landscape as Unimarkt's Exit Enables Spar and Rewe International to Expand
Home Products Drive Retail Turnover as Discounters Lead Value Growth
Higgins Reinvents Discount Fashion to Capture Urban Youth
Discounters Expand Self-Service to Cut Costs and Boost Value
Retail E-Commerce Accelerates with Instant Delivery and Live Shopping
Repair Initiatives and Second-Hand Platforms Reshape Value Equation
Grocery Retailers Take the Helm in Austria's Retail Landscape
Palmers and Media Markt Signal New Directions through Mergers, Acquisitions and Innovation
Bipa Embraces Live Commerce as Ikea Drives Home Its Sustainability Concept
Opening Hours for Physical Retail
Seasonality
Christmas
Back to School
Country Reports Disclaimer
Apparel and Footwear Specialists
Apparel and footwear specialists are chained or independent retail outlets with a primary focus on selling one or more of the following categories: clothing, footwear, and/or fashion accessories (costume jewellery, sunglasses, belts, hats, gloves, handbags, scarves, etc.). Apparel specialists include specialty apparel like wedding dress shops. Example brands include Primark, TJ Maxx, and Zara. Sportswear retailers, such as Adidas and Nike, are excluded from this channel and are included in Sports Goods Stores; this is due to the companies considering themselves sports companies as opposed to apparel companies.
See all of our definitionsWhy buy this report?
- Gain competitive intelligence about market leaders
- Track key industry trends, opportunities and threats
- Inform your marketing, brand, strategy and market development, sales and supply functions
This report originates from Passport, our Apparel and Footwear Specialists research and analysis database.
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