UK – Proposed British Standard for Footwear Sizing Available for Public Consultation

Vol. 1078 | 02 May 2019

A proposal for a new British Standard for a UK footwear size marking system was published on the 18^th April 2019, for consultation by footwear industry stakeholders and members of the public, with the option to vote to approve it as a necessary standard.

The scope of the proposed standard defines the UK footwear size marking (designation) system in terms of the length of foot expected to be optimally or reasonably accommodated by the footwear based on current widely used values, e.g. 8UK – 263 mm foot length. It applies to all types and end uses of footwear for men, women and children.

The purpose of this new standard is to help manufacturers and retailers provide customers with better information to aid their buying decisions, leading to greater customer satisfaction, fewer product returns (with associated financial and environmental cost savings) and improved foot health.

Why should you review and vote?

Stakeholders in the footwear sector have the opportunity to vote now on this proposed standard which has been developed by a dedicated panels of experts, within a technical committee. By voting, stakeholders such as manufacturers and retailers have the opportunity to state their view on whether this will benefit consumers and their business. Will this new standard drive greater clarity for both customers and industry? Will standardization help customers to relate footwear sizes directly to their own feet which may potentially lead to greater customer satisfaction? Can a reduction in misinterpretation of the UK sizing system be driven through more accurate and reliable footwear size conversion charts?

The Next Step

The public consultation period closes on 14 May 2019. Comments are then considered by the relevant panel of experts and published once a consensus has been reached. Typically this will be available in about 18 months. Learn more: https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/projects/9019-02767

For additional information please contact:

Debbie Woodhouse,
Footwear and Leathergoods Technical Support
debbie.woodhouse@intertek.com