This report describes the most important opportunities, trends and requirements for exporting leather accessories to Europe. You will learn about rules and regulations, the best channels to get your product on the market, the countries where your competitors are based and the best ways to provide quotations.

The European adaptive apparel market is estimated to be worth approx. €70 billion and is growing because of an increasing share of elderly and disabled populations. In the next few years, the market is expected to grow at higher rates due to the aging society. The biggest European markets for adaptive apparel include Germany, the Netherlands, France, the UK, Spain and Italy.

Setting up a business relationship with a European buyer can be challenging. This report will explain what the most important opportunities and requirements are in the European market. You will learn about the rules and regulations for exporting women’s underwear to Europe, about the best channels to get your product to the market, about the countries where your competitors are and the best ways to provide quotes for potential buyers.

Europe is a strong market for Fashion Sportswear, with a total import value of €12.1 billion and a 5-year average growth of 2.7%. The biggest markets include Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and Poland. Anoraks is the dominating product subsegment in most countries, accounting for 81% of the total, but Tracksuits are typically more expensive per unit.

Europe is the most important market for certified cocoa in the world. The largest markets for certified cocoa and chocolate are found in Western Europe. Growing consumer interest, the sustainability programmes of major chocolate companies and governments’ procurement policies in Europe have all added to the demand for certified cocoa. Rainforest Alliance is the most commonly used mainstream certification scheme for cocoa. Fairtrade and organic are growing on the specialty markets, and offer interesting opportunities for exporters, especially if your cocoa is certified by both standards.

Consumers are increasingly demanding premium chocolate. This makes the speciality cocoa market the fastest growing segment in Europe. Whether cocoa is labelled as speciality cocoa depends on the variety, post-harvest practices, countries of origin, and taste and aroma profiles. Traceability, direct trade and price premiums for quality are all important characteristics of the speciality cocoa trade. This makes it a high-potential market for producers and exporters.

Switzerland has a strong reputation as a producer of high-quality chocolates. Switzerland is among the largest chocolate exporters in the world. Several Swiss chocolate brands are well known internationally, including Lindt and Toblerone. The domestic market is also strong: Swiss consumers record the world’s second-highest per capita chocolate consumption. Opportunities for premium chocolates made from speciality and certified cocoa are growing significantly.

Germany is a massive cocoa and chocolate market with ample opportunities for producing countries, both in bulk and speciality segments. The German cocoa processing industry relies heavily on cocoa supplies from West Africa. However, as the bulk market is reaching saturation point, there are new opportunities for exporters and producers, especially on the speciality market. This is mainly fuelled by the growing demand for darker chocolate, and the large organic and sustainable cocoa market in Germany.

The Netherlands is the largest importer of cocoa beans and home to one of the largest cocoa-grinding industries in the world. The Netherlands imported almost 91% of its cocoa beans from West Africa in 2020, primarily as bulk cocoa. The demand for high-quality cocoa, however, is growing and attracting further interest in cocoa beans from Latin American countries. The focus on the high-quality segment also offers an opportunity for a closer relationship with buyers such as smaller specialised traders and craft chocolate makers.