PUMA’s 2021 Combined Management Report had forecasted a currency-adjusted growth in sales of at least ten percent for the financial year 2022. This forecast was increased during the year and at the end of the third quarter, PUMA expected currency-adjusted sales growth in the mid-teen percentage range for financial year 2022. Thanks to continued brand momentum, successful product launches and a strong focus on flexibility in business operations, PUMA was able to outperform the adjusted outlook for the full-year 2022, significantly exceeding the original sales target of currency-adjusted sales growth of at least ten percent. More details on sales development in the financial year 2022 are provided below.
PUMA's sales in the reporting currency, the euro, increased by 24.4% to € 8,465.1 million in the financial year 2022 (previous year: € 6,805.4 million). Currency-adjusted sales increased by 18.9%. Despite geopolitical tensions and lockdown measures, in 2022 PUMA was thus able to build on its strong currency-adjusted sales growth of +31.7% from the previous year.
In the Footwear product segment, sales in the reporting currency, the euro, rose by 36.5% to € 4,317.9 million. This was the first time that Footwear had surpassed the € 4 billion sales mark. Adjusted for currency effects, sales increased by 30.8%. The strongest growth was achieved in the Sportstyle, Running & Training and Teamsport categories. The share of the Footwear division in total sales rose from 46.5% in the previous year to 51.0% in 2022.
Sales in the Apparel division in the reporting currency, the euro, increased by 15.1% to € 2,896.3 million. Currency-adjusted sales grew by 10.1%. The increase in sales was mainly due to higher sales in the Teamsport, Running & Training and Sportstyle categories. The share of the Apparel division decreased to 34.2% of Group sales (previous year: 37.0%).
The Accessories division recorded an 11.2% growth in sales in the reporting currency, the euro, to € 1,251.0 million, equivalent to currency-adjusted sales growth of 5.4%. Higher sales in the Teamsport category and with bags, caps and Cobra golf clubs contributed to this development. The division's share of Group sales declined from 16.5% in the previous year to 14.8% in 2022.
PUMA's own retail activities include direct sales to our consumers ("Direct-to-consumer business"). This includes selling to our customers in PUMA's own retail stores, the so-called "Full Price Stores" and "Factory Outlets." Our e-commerce business on our own online platforms and on the platforms of online retailers, which we refer to as "marketplaces," is also part of the direct sales to our consumers. Our own retail businesses ensure regional availability of PUMA products and the presentation of the PUMA brand in an environment suitable to our brand positioning.
PUMA's direct-to-consumer sales increased by 7.8% currency-adjusted to € 1,951.4 million in the financial year 2022. This corresponds to a share of 23.1% of total sales (previous year: 25.3%). The declining share of total sales is due in particular to the fact that we allocated more goods to our wholesale partners at a time of limited product availability. Adjusted for currency effects, sales in PUMA's own full-price stores and factory outlets increased by 11.0% in 2022. In the e-commerce business, sales increased by 2.2% in 2022, adjusted for currency effects. This development reflects the fact that consumers still value the shopping experience in retail stores, following a shift in consumer shopping behavior toward increased online shopping as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Notwithstanding, our e-commerce activities were particularly successful on special days in the online business, such as Singles' Day in China on November 11, the world's largest online shopping day, as well as on Black Friday on November 25 and Cyber Monday on November 28.
We expanded our e-commerce business in 2022. We also launched new online platforms in the Philippines, Thailand, Peru, Norway, Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East and Africa. We also launched the PUMA shopping app in 2022. The shopping app is intended to provide our most loyal customers with access to the latest PUMA products, exclusive services and brand content in India, the USA, Great Britain and Japan.
PUMA grants licenses to independent partners for various product divisions, such as watches, glasses, safety shoes, workwear and gaming accessories. In addition to design, development and manufacture, these companies are also responsible for product distribution. Income from license agreements also includes some distribution licenses for different markets. PUMA's royalty and commission income increased by 41.6% to € 33.8 million in the financial year 2022 (previous year: € 23.9 million). The main reason for the increase was essentially the good business development in the Motorsport division, after Formula 1 fans returned to racetracks this year.
