Russia still matters to Italian footwear firms

23/04/2015
Recent figures released by the Italian footwear manufacturers’ association Assocalzaturifici show that sales of Italian shoes in and around Russia fell sharply in the first 11 months of 2014, decreasing by 20% in volume and by 22.4% in value compared to the same period in 2013.

Special exhibitions of Italian footwear in Moscow and in Almaty in Kazakhstan have continued, although Assocal had to cancel a similar event in Kiev in the spring of 2015.

Nevertheless, the association pointed out that with volumes of 8.1 million pairs in the 11-month period and export earnings of more than €600 million these figures “still confirm the importance of this market for many Italian footwear makers, even at a time when it is shrinking”.