Soon: India size for footwear, alongside UK, EU and US ones

NEW DELHI: To be well shod, right fit, comfort and value for money matters to consumers, the reasons why the Union government will make it mandatory for footwear makers to publish an “India size” in their labels soon, specifications for which are being developed, an official told reporters on Friday.

Currently, shoe-size charts largely carry UK, EU or USA fits. “UK size” numbers are traditionally labeled as “UK/India”, which hark back to colonial times. High-end brands also have their independent measures.

“There is no size based on Indian population data and this often creates confusion for buyers. Therefore the government has decided to come up with a corresponding India size,” said

Nidhi Khare, additional secretary in the ministry of consumer affairs.

The process of formulating the benchmark is being overseen by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the national body that sets industrial specifications. The whole task for coming up with Indian “anthropometric dimensions” – the formal name for indigenous footwear measures – has been given to the National Institute of Industrial Engineering, Mumbai, the official said. The India footwear market, one of the largest in the world, is estimated to be worth Rs 96000 crore and competitive, according to market data. It has seen fast innovations in technology and design, with a new line of leather products, sneakers, women footwear and athletic items on sale every season.

The Modi government has re-tuned many norms across institutions, shifting away from a colonial past to more custommade indigenous models. For instance, the military is reviewing its colonial and pre-colonial era traditions and battle honours to Indianise them.

Citing reports, officials said, given India’s large shoe industry and volumes sold, consumers often struggle to determine the right size as body mass indices of the British population do not correspondent to Indian ones.

THE “UK SIZE” NUMBERS ARE TRADITIONALLY LABELED AS “UK/ INDIA”, WHICH HARK BACK TO COLONIAL TIMES