• September 26, 2009

Maybe apparel sales haven't been all that bad: Mintel reports that U.S. clothing sales, which increased 3% in 2007 and 14% in 2008, are likely to show increases this year, as well, and that clothing sales in the UK, France and Italy have also been stable.

Surprisingly, Mintel's latest stats show that Brits are the busiest, with clothing spending per capita coming in at an impressive $1,071 in 2008. In the U.S., spending was $732 in 2008, compared to $522 in France and $679 in Italy. In the US, UK and Italy, women's clothing constitutes nearly 60% of annual sales, while in France women's wear represents 24.7% of the market.--Sarah Mahoney