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Albanians rational with clothing, spending almost at record levels in the last decade

Politiko 2025-04-15 15:32:36

Albanians rational with clothing, spending almost at record levels in the last

When it comes to clothing, Albanians have been rational with their spending, especially in the last decade. Compared to 12 groups of major consumer items, spending on clothing had the lowest increase in value (without the effect of inflation) over the last three decades (1995-2023), according to official INSTAT data.

In 1995, all Albanian families spent 11.2 billion lek on clothing per year, while in 2023 over 43 billion lek. Without the effect of inflation, family spending on clothing increased by 285% in 26 years, the lowest rate compared to the other 11 consumer groups.

Historical data shows that spending on clothing marked a significant increase in 2007-2008 and then remained at the same level throughout the decade if the effect of inflation is also taken into account. Demographic change has also affected spending on clothing. The decline in the young population and mainly children who consume a lot of clothing has negatively affected spending for this group. On the other hand, the growing group of the retirement age population consumes more medications and less clothing.

With the high inflation of the last two years, there is a shift in the purchases of Albanian consumers, who have curbed the purchase of new clothing, shifting to used ones. Foreign trade data show that in 2024, textile and footwear imports in value decreased by 8.6% and on the other hand, used clothing imports increased by 4.7%.

The decline in imports of clothing and footwear continued for the second consecutive year, as in 2023 they were 4.2% lower than in 2022. On the other hand, the used clothing market is growing year on year. The import value exceeded 38 million euros in 2024 with an annual growth of 4.7%.

The Balkan Barometer, a survey by the Regional Cooperation Council that measures citizens' perceptions of the economic situation, found that in 2024, high inflation was the biggest concern for Albanians. After the war in Ukraine, the price of the basket of goods in Albania increased at double-digit rates. Just like in Europe, citizens cut back on spending on clothing and shoes./ Monitor

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