Analysis/ Population decline and high prices reduce imports of new clothing, "Gabi" market grows

Increasingly, clothing consumption in our country is shifting to second-hand goods, known as used goods.

The portion of the population that "invests" in new clothing, mainly young people, is decreasing due to emigration and declining birth rates, while the expanding retirement age population is spending less on clothing.

INSTAT data showed that during 2024, imports of used clothing in quantity increased by over 81%. Last year, 22.1 thousand tons of used clothing were imported, up from 12.2 thousand tons in 2023.

Imports of used clothing from 2019 to 2023 were around 12 thousand tons, but in 2024 they almost doubled to over 22 thousand tons.

With the high inflation of the last two years, there has been a shift in the purchases of Albanian consumers, who have stopped buying new clothing, shifting to used ones.

Over the past year, imports of new clothing declined in several groups or remained stagnant.

Imports of new clothing in quantity were down slightly for the second consecutive year in 2024.

The decline in clothing consumption in Albania carries multiple factors related to the shrinking and aging population and the strong increase in the prices of basket goods.

The shrinking number of young people, who are usually inclined to buy new clothes, is negatively affecting consumption. The country's population is also shrinking in addition to aging.

The country began to shrink in population in the 1990s. Low birth rates and emigration were the main factors contributing to the population decline. Between the 2011 and 2023 censuses, the country's population shrank by 420,000.

Census 2023 data shows that one in five individuals (19.7%) are 65 years of age or older, compared to one in nine individuals (11.3%) in the 2011 Census and 7.5% in the 2001 Census.

Older people have a different consumption structure than younger people and spend less on clothing and usually tend to fill their needs in second-hand markets. But second-hand clothing has also become a trend for other age groups around the world, because it often offers low prices for good quality.

The Balkan Barometer, a survey by the Regional Cooperation Council that measures citizens' perceptions of the economic situation, found that high inflation was the biggest concern for Albanians in 2024. Following the war in Ukraine, basket prices in Albania increased at double-digit rates.

Just like in Europe, citizens cut spending on clothing and footwear. In Europe and beyond, new clothing sales are also facing a decline this year, even though inflation is stabilizing, shattering all predictions for sales growth at the beginning of the year./ Monitor