End consumers in Italy and Spain appreciate style and design. Italians focus more on quality and brand image, and the Spanish focus more on modern, affordable and practical styles. Both countries prefer local brands. Italy and Spain are home to some of Europe’s largest fashion retailers. These retailers operate thousands of stores worldwide, meaning they have a major influence even outside of their local economies.
The Italian and Spanish apparel markets are struggling, but there’s still potential for small and medium-sized companies to succeed, particularly if they focus on quality, creativity, and niche markets. Italy is also an excellent gateway for exporting to the rest of Europe.
Martino Forcella, global apparel sourcing expert
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Italy and Spain are large and interesting apparel markets that require excellent knowledge of local business culture and consumer preferences. Both countries are located in southern Europe, are members of the European Union and have strong cultural ties. They also have similar climates, with warm, dry summers and mild winters. These conditions shape local fashion preferences for light, colourful clothing in summer and stylish but practical garments during the winter season.
The European outerwear market follows the overall apparel industry trends and developments around sustainability, circularity and corporate social responsibility. Policy initiatives under the EU Green Deal are the main drivers for these trends. For more information, see the CBI study on trends in the apparel market.
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Europe has a large outerwear market. It had a total import value of €20.4 billion and a 5-year average growth rate of 3.9% during the 2019–2024 period. The biggest markets are Germany, Italy, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Poland. Scandinavia is also an important regional market. Outerwear made from synthetic/man-made fibres dominates this subsegment (72.9% of the total). Outerwear makes up over 10% of all European apparel imports from developing countries.
Europe is a large and growing market for natural ingredients in women’s health products. It is a major importer of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs), saps and extracts. But, the regulatory environment in Europe is becoming stricter, and market entry is only possible if you comply with all requirements for your target market and segment. Product competition comes from established species, synthetic alternatives, vitamins and minerals.
Are you looking for organic and sustainably produced moringa from West Africa? Visit BIOFACH, the world’s leading trade fair for organic food, on 10-13 February 2026, and meet Burkinabe companies to discover their moringa products in Profound’s Organic Africa Pavilion, Hall 1, Stand 1-271.
European buyers need safe, traceable dried figs that meet strict requirements. Successful suppliers use HACCP systems and hold GFSI-recognised certificates. Specialised importers and packers are still the best entry route into retail and industry. Competition is intense. Türkiye is the largest exporter, while European origins and new suppliers are becoming more popular. Prices depend on Türkiye’s harvest size and quality, so good management of risk and contracts is very important.
European buyers, especially those in retail and manufacturing, are pretty rigorous when it comes to certification. Traceability is a big deal now, especially for organic and private-label buyers in Europe. It is no longer enough to say where the figs came from. You need to prove it with documentation, testing reports and full lot traceability. Buyers also expect third-party micro, heavy metal, mycotoxin and pesticide residue analyses with every shipment.
Burak Bardakci, Sales & Procurement Manager at Bata Food
The retail market is the most important market for dried figs in Europe. All supermarkets sell dried figs around Christmas time. Many Europeans like to eat dried figs at this time because they are seen as a holy fruit, a sign of abundance and heaven. Supermarkets give figs a lot of space on their holiday shelves. UK food makers use fig paste in seasonal treats such as fig-filled biscuits.
Neset Kececiogullari, Vice Managing Director of Sales at K.F.C.Gida
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