The backpack market - Portugal

1.1 Presentation and definition of the market

A backpack is a bag that is carried on the back by holding the weight of its contents on the shoulders through padded and adjustable straps, and sometimes even on the hips through a belt. The capacity of its volume is expressed in liters and ranges from half a dozen liters for racing bags to a hundred liters for trekking and mountain models.

Different types of backpacks are included in our market analysis:

• School, sports and hiking backpacks;
• Backpacks for everyday and urban use;
• Leather backpacks.

The global backpack market is growing and displays positive expectations. This growth is mainly driven by the high demand in China and the Asia-Pacific region, while the American market, on the other hand, is progressively weakening.

In Portugal, competition is characterized by the presence of many players positioned in the different product segments. On the one hand, there are several small players that tend to focus on the quality of the product and the prestige of the “handmade” label. On the other hand, big retailers import products from Asia and offer smaller prices as their competitive advantage. Nevertheless, all players are being forced to adapt to more environmental-friendly customers, calling for the use of responsible materials in the confection of their backpacks. For instance, Portugal recently stood out by using cork in the production of its backpacks. [Observador]