Over the past five years, sales of shoes have increased faster in the UK than anywhere else in Europe and spending on footwear has risen 38 per cent since 2001 to reach more than£6.5 billion this year.
The shoe market is expected to see continued growth, with sales increasing a further 17 per cent between this year and 2010, totalling£7.6 billion.
According to the study, one in 10 British women own more than 30 pairs of shoes, with just one in four saying they only buy shoes when they need a replacement pair.
Mintel director of retail research Richard Perks said: 'Footwear in the UK has moved centre stage in the world of fashion and demand has been growing rapidly. Indeed, apart from accessories, it has been the fastest growing element in fashion retailing.
'Shoes are no longer seen as a clothing essential. People are now far more willing to buy a pair of shoes for a specific occasion or to go with one particular outfit.'
However, the percentage of the footwear market held by specialists has fallen from almost 70 per cent in 2001 to just 57 per cent this year, with market growth being mainly enjoyed by the non-specialists, such as New Look, Asda, Primark and Next.
Perks said: 'Footwear specialists need to start appreciating the importance of fashion in their sector and introduce a much faster turnover of styles. Specialists also need to make more of their strengths, emphasising their authority on shoes and higher levels of service through advice and fitting.'
Meanwhile, shoe sales growth in France and Italy has faltered. Although the Italians are the biggest shoe spenders, with the footwear market set to reach Eu14.6 billion (£9.85 billion) by the end of this year, growth has been about 1 per cent for the past five years. France has also only seen a marginal increase, with sales rising just 4 per cent since 2001.
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