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Well-heeled shoppers shrug off price hikes for Birkenstocks and Bugaboo strollers for now

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Well-heeled shoppers shrug off price hikes for Birkenstocks and Bugaboo strollers for now


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Reuters

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August 15, 2025

Well-heeled shoppers around the US seem – so far at least – willing to soak up price hikes for aspirational products from trendy Birkenstock sandals to Bugaboo prams, despite the impact of trade tariffs and belt-tightening elsewhere.

A Birkenstock store in Nashville, US – Birkenstock

German sandal and clog brand Birkenstock has enjoyed strong consumer demand with little pushback from US retailers since hiking prices at the start of July, its chief executive said on Thursday. As brands raise prices and cut costs to mitigate the impact of higher US tariffs on their imported products, a key question is the extent to which consumers will be put off and buy less, or simply walk away from purchases.

Comments from Birkenstock, Bugaboo, Coach, Ralph Lauren and other brands at the premium end of the market suggest that, so far, affluent consumers are shrugging off price hikes.

“We saw no pushback or cancellations following the July 1st price increases implemented in response to tariffs,” Birkenstock CEO Oliver Reichert told analysts on a call, adding demand for the brand has been “tremendously strong.”

Bank of America, the largest consumer facing US bank, said this week that middle- and upper-income earners spent more on their credit cards in July than the same month last year. In contrast, spending among the lowest income bracket remained flat, the bank found.

Overall US consumer spending may stay strong, Bank of America said, as long as higher-income individuals keep spending. Lower-income earners account for only 15% of all US consumer spending, according to Bank of America. However, Procter & Gamble, maker of Tide detergent, reported signs of spending cutbacks among higher-income consumers, indicating that shoppers may be becoming more selective with their purchases.

Bugaboo, a Netherlands-based maker of expensive baby gear, also raised prices on its strollers, high chairs and play pens by $50-$300 in May because of US tariffs. Retailers were open and accepting.

“In general we did not see any pushback. They are like us. They understand it is a fluid situation,” Chief Commercial Officer for North America, Jeanelle Teves, said. Bugaboo manufactures in China and sells strollers for more than $1,000 at Target, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales and independent mom and pop stores.

Coach handbags also remain in strong demand despite a gloomier economic outlook: the brand drew in more than 4.6 million new customers in North America this year, many of whom are Gen Z and millennials, Tapestry CEO Joanne Kuvoiserat said on Thursday. Coach, whose popular Tabby shoulder bags retail for $350, will maintain its operating profit margin despite the pressure of tariffs, Kuvoiserat said.

Ralph Lauren, meanwhile, raised its annual revenue forecast as shoppers snapped up items like its $398 Polo Bear sweaters. But consumers’ behaviour in the coming months remains hard to predict, CEO Patrice Louvet highlighted on a conference call with analysts. “The bigger unknown here today is the price sensitivity and how the consumer reacts to the broader pricing environment. So that’s what we’re watching very closely as we head into the second half.”

© Thomson Reuters 2025 All rights reserved.



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Fashion

Bangladesh’s RMG exports up 4.7% in Q1 FY26, but Sept shipments dip

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Bangladesh’s RMG exports up 4.7% in Q1 FY26, but Sept shipments dip



Woven garment exports slightly outpaced knitted garment exports in terms of growth. Knitwear exports (Chapter **) rose by *.** per cent to $*.*** billion, compared to $*.*** billion in the same period of fiscal ******. Woven apparel exports (Chapter **) increased by *.** per cent to $*.*** billion, up from $*.*** billion in July–September ****, EPB data showed.

Home textile exports (Chapter **, excluding ******) also grew, rising by *.** per cent to $***.** million, compared to $***.** million in the same period of the previous fiscal. Collectively, exports of woven and knitted apparel, clothing accessories, and home textiles accounted for **.** per cent of Bangladesh’s total exports, which stood at $**.*** billion during the period. Higher demand for diversified and value-added textile products supported this growth.



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Dutch manufacturing flat in August, up 1.7% from July: CBS

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Dutch manufacturing flat in August, up 1.7% from July: CBS



In August 2025, the calendar-adjusted output of the Dutch manufacturing sector was at the same level as in August 2024, according to Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Output was down in slightly more than half of the underlying sectors.

Slightly more than half of the various industrial sectors produced less than they did one year previously. Of the eight largest industrial sectors, output rose the most sharply in the repair and installation of machinery, while it fell the most sharply in the transport equipment industry.

A more accurate picture of changes in short-term output is obtained when the figures are adjusted for seasonal effects and the working-day pattern. After adjustment, manufacturing output rose by 1.7 per cent in August relative to July, CBS said in a press release.

In August 2025, Dutch manufacturing output remained unchanged year-on-year, although output declined in over half of the industrial sectors.
After seasonal adjustment, output rose by 1.7 per cent compared to July.
The strongest growth was seen in the repair and installation of machinery, while transport equipment recorded the sharpest decline.

After adjusting for seasonal and working-day effects, manufacturing output often fluctuates significantly. In the spring of 2020, output declined rapidly, reaching a low point in May 2020. This was followed by an upward trend until May 2022. The trend has reversed since then.

Producer confidence was less negative in September than it was in August. Manufacturers were more positive regarding output for the next three months, in particular.

Germany is an important market for the Dutch manufacturing sector. In September, German manufacturers were more negative than they were in August, as reported by Eurostat. In August, the calendar-adjusted output of the German manufacturing sector was down by 5.1 per cent, year on year. Relative to July, output fell by 5.5 per cent, as reported by Destatis.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)



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ADB commits $82.5 mn to drive Cambodia’s energy transition

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ADB commits .5 mn to drive Cambodia’s energy transition



The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved the second phase of Cambodia’s Energy Transition Sector Development Programme (ETSDP) for $82.5 million. Cofinanced by the ASEAN Infrastructure Fund, the Asia–Pacific Climate Finance Fund, the Green Climate Fund, and the United Kingdom through the ASEAN Catalytic Green Finance Facility, the programme aims to provide comprehensive support for the country’s clean energy transition by combining policy reforms with investment projects in new technologies.  

The first subprogramme, approved in 2022, introduced pivotal policy measures that guided the energy sector toward a more efficient and renewable development pathway. Building on this foundation, subprogramme 2 advances regulatory reforms to strengthen the energy efficiency framework and enhance policy clarity to attract private sector investment. A key milestone under the subprogramme is the introduction of the country’s first set of regulations establishing Minimum Energy Performance Standards for electrical appliances, starting with air conditioners, which account for the largest share of energy consumption in the residential sector, ADB said on its website.

Subprogramme 2 will also establish an Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund aimed at facilitating access to finance for local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to invest in energy-efficient technologies. The revolving fund will be set up through a financial intermediation structure to enable local banks to extend loans to SMEs for energy efficiency investments. By mobilizing domestic financial institutions and supporting SMEs, the revolving fund is expected to accelerate the nationwide scale-up of energy efficiency investments.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved $82.5 million for Phase 2 of Cambodia’s Energy Transition Sector Development Programme to support clean energy through policy reforms and investments.
The programme introduces energy efficiency standards, establishes a revolving fund for SME financing, and also aims to attract private investment.

“ADB is honoured to support Cambodia in its ambitious and transformative journey in the energy sector. Through a comprehensive reform package, combining policy support with strategic investments, the Energy Transition Sector Development Programme will support turning the government’s ambitious vision into reality,” said ADB acting country director for Cambodia Anthony Gill. “This includes the goal of achieving 70 per cent renewable energy in the power mix by 2030, along with a strong commitment to advancing energy efficiency, which is essential to ensure that Cambodia’s growth remains both sustainable and affordable.”

Subprogramme 2 will be followed by a third phase in 2027, which will further deepen reforms by expanding the energy efficiency regulatory framework and introducing technical standards for renewable energy, buildings, and industry to further attract private sector investment.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)



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