the European Retail Clothing Industry: the Market

Exclusive extracts from this 111-page-long report:

- What is the business?

The present report focuses on the mass-market clothing retail sector in Europe. Companies' product portfolios generally stretch beyond clothing to include footwear, bags, and accessories. The total addressable market (clothes, footwear, bags, and accessories) for clothing retailers in Europe was worth €420bn in 2017, with online channels accounting for approximately €56bn. […]

- What are the main markets?

In recent years, the previously frantic pace of physical store footprint expansion has significantly slowed down, with leading clothing retailers' attentions shifting to customer experience. The growing adoption of digital technologies has provided retailers with the tools to nurture customer relationships, while driving supply-chain efficiency and lower procurement costs. E-commerce and, more specifically, m-commerce (mobile commerce), is at the heart of clothing retailers' business models, with omni-channel distribution becoming the norm. Players have therefore been investing to meet new trends by consolidating and expanding logistics platforms, adopting technologies such as cloud, RFID and 3D in their supply chain operations, and developing consumer-facing apps and services. [...]

- How intense is competition?

Competition in the European clothing retail sector has traditionally been moderate, but it is increasing, as evidenced by the deteriorating operating margins of leading European clothing retailers (e.g. Inditex, H&M, Primark, etc.). New competitive pressures have risen on the back of a growing shift towards digital channels. [...]

0. Conclusions

1. Market Fundamentals

1.1. Overview

1.2. The Industry

2. Market Environment and Prospects

2.1. Market Overview

2.2. Demand

2.3. Supply

3. Corporate Strategies and Competition

3.1. Competitive Environment

3.2. Leaders' Recent Performances

3.3. Business Strategies

4. Case Studies

5. Statistical Appendix

6. Sources

7. Annexes