FDRA represents 95% of the footwear industry, working from footwear design through to retail to help the industry evolve and advocate for policies that grow the sector. AlixPartners advises footwear manufacturers and retailers on digital-first retail strategies across the value chain. We partnered to research current consumer trends; the results will help inform footwear companies on how to meet the consumer where they are in 2026.
Executives facing 79% cost increases can only price 1–5% higher (32% expect to)--something most consumers aren't expecting.
Consumers are already struggling to make budgets stretch and won't accept cost-cutting substitutes if quality is affected—a surefire way to erode loyalty. That means that the sourcing strategy is now effectively the operational strategy.
Quality is no longer a differentiator—it's table stakes. Lower-income consumers are already planning to cut back, but they indicate a reticence to trade down. Success depends on whether sourcing can maintain quality while absorbing input cost increases. The data suggests this is the real execution test of 2026.
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