Italian shoemakers lay down strategies for Russian market
The director for Russian business in Italian footwear association Assocalzaturifici has said orders at the Moscow-based show Obuv Mir Koži were “inevitably” down but has vowed to keep investing in the market.
“Obuv Mir Koži needs to evolve in response to the difficult situation, despite its undeniable importance as a key event for our companies on these markets," said Arturo Venanzi.
“We're working hand in hand with the Foreign Trade Agency on initiatives aimed at further improving the quality of buyers in the area.
“We will also be working on innovative new formulas for intercepting more and more new buyers, with targeted scouting operations for Italian-made footwear.”
Italy's total footwear sales in the first six months of 2015 fell by more than a third in terms of both quantity and value compared with the first half last year.
The volume to Russia fell 36%, 52% to Ukraine and 23 %to Kazakhstan. “These figures are particularly worrying in view of the fact that in 2014, Russia ranked sixth in terms of value and ninth in terms of volume in the list of destination countries for Italian footwear exports,” said Arturo Venanzi.
Assocalzaturifici chair Annarita Pilotti said the association will continue to press the Italian government on opposition to economic sanctions, which the European Union has renewed until January 2016, and investment in promotion of Italian-made footwear in the Russian market.
