Page 5 - 20 Cotton SA December 2019
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TEXTILE SCENE















          OUTLOOK ON




                     TEXTILES







                                    by Helena Claassens, Cotton SA


           THE SOUTH AFRICAN                         The South African population is dominated
           CONSUMER LANDSCAPE                      by younger individuals, with 47% of the
           The characteristics and dynamics in the South   population below 25 years of age. Individuals
           African consumer environment centre around   younger than 15 years represented 30% of
           various aspects, such as household income   the population in 2018, while people of 65
           and size, education levels, urbanisation, age   years and older represented 6%.
           distribution, unemployment, debt, and food   The unemployment rate is currently about
           access.                                 29% – nearly a third of the labour force.
             The disposable income of households per   South African consumers have been
           capita increased by 7,7% in real terms from   increasing their debt levels consistently. Both
           2008 to 2018. Household disposable income   the number of accounts in the gross debtor
           has been under pressure in recent years. From   book and the number of credit applications
           2017 to 2018 disposable income increased   have increased.
           by only 0,1% in real terms. The average   Retail trade sales of textiles, clothing,
           household size in South Africa has decreased   footwear and leather decreased from 18% of
           from 4,5 members in 1996 to 3,5 members   total retail sales in 2017 to an estimated 16%
           during 2016/2017.                       in 2019. Retail sales of food, beverages and
             According to statistics, the education levels   tobacco products were constant at 8% of total
           in South Africa have been improving over   retail sales.
           time. This could lead to people moving to cities   One can conclude that most of the
           in order to find work. Increasing urbanisation   household income is spent on textiles,
           is a key feature of the South African consumer   clothing, footwear, and leather goods (16%
           landscape. It has been recognised as one of   of total retail sales).
           the key drivers of nutrition transition (takeaway
           food), which is often associated with negative
           health outcomes.                         Sources: BFAP Baseline and Stats SA



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