Sales of shoes have grown faster in Britain than anywhere else in Europe over the last five years, a report has found.

Annual sales hit £6.5bn in 2006, up by a whopping 38 per cent since 2001, research firm Mintel said.

And Mintel predicts that sales of shoes will rise by around 17 per cent to just under £7.6bn by 2010.

Meanwhile, in France and Italy, the countries many of us associate with sophisticated fashion and style, growth in shoe sales has faltered over the same five-year period.

Although the Italians spend the most on shoes in Europe, growth has been only around 1 per cent over the past five years.

Richard Perks, Mintel: "Shoes are no longer seen as a clothing essential to be bought on a replacement basis only, they are now an integral part of the fashion of the day."

France has seen sales jump by just 4 per cent since 2001, the figures show.

One in 10 British women own more than 30 pairs of shoes, while a further fifth own between 16 and 30 pairs.

While comfort and fit are still the most important attributes in choosing shoes, there is a growing interest in fashionability.

According to Mintel, just one in four women in the UK say that they only buy shoes when they need a replacement pair.

Richard Perks, director of retail research at Mintel, 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 to be bought on a replacement basis only, they are now an integral part of the fashion of the day.

"What is more, people are now far more willing to buy a pair of shoes for a specific occasion or to go with one particular outfit."

Susan Cooper