Sensormatic Solutions, Johnson Controls’ global retail solutions portfolio, has just published an annual report on the evolution of traffic in stores that sell sporting goods, including sportswear, footwear, equipment and accessories, in Europe. Despite the arrival of the Olympic Games, traffic in sports stores has eroded considerably in France since the beginning of the year. Several traffic peaks are nevertheless expected during the competition.
The report highlights retail trends related to the sports industry, the evolution of consumer traffic in sports stores in major European countries (in comparison with the United States and China) over more than a year, and presents an analysis of the impact of major sporting events on traffic in these stores, based on more than 10 years of research.
Key Retail Trends Related to the Sports Industry
– Sport and Fashion go well together: Athleisure has become one of the fastest-growing fashion categories, especially among millennials and millennials looking for comfort and style. Retailers like Inditex, H&M, C&A and Next have expanded their activewear offerings, and luxury brands like Gucci and Burberry have collaborated with Adidas and Supreme.
– Brands are betting on customer experience : This trend is reflected in particular by the opening of physical stores by brands born online such as Gymshark, or new store formats such as Nike’s Soho Flagship store.
– Sustainable development : The European “Green Deal”, aiming for climate neutrality by 2050, affects the sporting goods industry, with initiatives such as the Product Footprint (PEF) in France.
– Inventory management : the inventory management remains a major challenge for retailers, with surpluses leading to losses, such as those recorded by Adidas, its first in 30 years.
Evolution of sports store traffic in Europe
When it comes to sports store traffic, France saw this category become the best performing in 2023, but this trend reversed in 2024 with a drop in attendance over 61% of the period studiedSimilar variations were observed in Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, with notable fluctuations over time.
Impact of major sporting events on sports store traffic
Major sporting events and their broadcast times significantly influence store traffic. For example, during the London Olympics, traffic increased by 21%. Conversely, the FIFA World Cup led to an average 14% decrease in store traffic on match days in France. The Super Bowl, one of the most watched events in the United States, reduced store traffic by 21% on match days. For the Paris Olympic Games, Sensormatic predicts 5 peaks in traffic in the capital’s stores, the first of which is expected the day after the opening ceremony.
The pandemic has catalyzed the adoption of daily exercise routines and casual attire, marking a renaissance of the athleisure trend. Despite challenges such as inflation and supply chain disruptions, the outlook for sporting goods stores remains bright thanks to continued digital transformation and new technologies.
Find the full Sensormatic report ici.
Source: www.ecommercemag.fr
