Despite the generally unhealthy retail environment, orders placed with Europe’s largest buying group for small to medium-sized independent footwear retailers,  Garant Schuh & Mode, rose by 9.1%.

Outside of Germany, where a 4% decline was seen, order volume climbed 16.3% as retailers in France, the Netherlands and Belgium collectively increased their share of orders to 68.7% of the total.  As a result, the group was able to declare a 4.2% increase in profits, to Eur118.3 million, on total orders of Eur1.3 billion.

The results were all the more surprising given that they were posted against the backdrop of a 10% fall in overall footwear sales in Germany, a 9% drop in Austria and a decline of 2% in the Netherlands.

The organisation predicted a 4% increase in order turnover for 2003, adding that it intended to expand its offering of low and middle price shoes to take account of the ‘new modesty’ being displayed by consumers, particularly in Germany.  Measures to push supplementary business with textiles, leather goods and accessories plus shoecare products also looked promising, the company said.

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