UK Sports Goods Retailing Market Report 2022
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The UK Sports Goods Retailing report identifies consumer attitudes towards purchase drivers, competitive strategies, and the cost of living crisis in the UK. This market report covers the market size, market forecast, market segmentation and industry trends for the Sports Goods Retailing market in the UK.
Current Market Landscape
There is scope for retailers to expand into this and offer more personalised products, further differentiating them from the competition and providing a way to build the bond between retailer and consumer. Nike has offered this service through customisable shoes on both the fashion and sports side for some time, and Lululemon now offer ankle weights and free weights consumers can connect to their Mirror smart home gym to tailor to each individual workout and collect data.
- Some 26% of consumers show an interest in tailored sports goods and personalised items.
- Digital remains the dominant area of advertising spend for sports goods retailers, holding 75% of total advertising spend.
- 66% of consumers agree that there should be a capacity limit in gyms even after the virus is no longer an issue.
The ongoing supply-chain crisis threatens production, with rising raw material and transport costs a challenge to brands. This is also likely to present to consumers in terms of rising prices. Consumers still expect convenient delivery and fast purchasing options so how do brands go about this while managing production bottlenecks. Coupled with the cost-of-living crisis, consumers will be looking to cut corners and seek value and utility with the products they buy.
Future Market Trends in Sports Goods Retailing
While athleisure and comfort remain at the forefront for consumers, specialist sports goods retailers risk losing their market share to fashion retailers, direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands, as well as supermarkets and luxury brands as sportswear impacts on fashion trends. Increasing market entries from non-specialists serve as a threat, along with an increasing number of fashion retailers now offering sportswear ranges, as well as online-only retailers such as Amazon.
Post pandemic, consumers are more concerned about their overall health and wellbeing. This presents opportunities for sports goods retailers to tap into this interest and further highlight what they can do for consumers, through the likes of in-store experiences and product innovation.
Read on to discover more details or take a look at all of our UK Retail market research
Quickly understand
- The impact of the rising cost of living on the sports goods market.
- Market size, performance and forecast for the sports goods market.
- Sports participation and the effect on sports goods purchases.
- Purchase drivers for sports goods.
- Leading retailers and competitive strategies for sports goods.
Covered in this report
Products: Sports clothing (tracksuits, swimwear, sweatshirts, accessories), sports footwear (trainers, running shoes, football boots, ski boots), sports equipment (tennis racquets, golf clubs, balls, cricket bats), sports accessories (gloves, hats, wearable technology)
Brands: Gymshark, Decathlon, Lululemon, JD Sports, Sports Direct, Sweaty Betty, Frasers Group, Mountain Warehouse, Cotswold Outdoor Ltd, Blacks, Intersport, American Golf Discount Centre, Jacobs & Turner, Rutland Cycling, Graham Tiso, Chelsea FC Merch, Ellis Brigham, Greaves Sports, Brasher Leisure, Sigma Sports.
Expert analysis from a specialist in the field
This report, written by Fiona McDonald, a leading analyst in the Retail sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.
The COVID-19 pandemic gave the sports goods market some much-needed momentum. Innovations such as sustainable sportswear and immersive in-store experiences are catapulting brands and retailers forward, with an increasing interest in health and wellbeing as well as the continuing athleisure trend driving consumers towards these brands. An industry in decline prior to the pandemic, the sports goods market is set for sustained long-term growth.
Fiona McDonald
Retail Analyst
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Overview
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Market context
- Products covered in this Report
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Executive Summary
- The five-year outlook for sports goods
- Figure 1: Category outlook for sports goods, 2022-27
- The market
- Industry growth to normalise as cost pressures rise
- Figure 2: Market forecast sports goods, 2016-26
- Fewer active adults
- Figure 3: Number of UK adults aged 16+ taking part in sport at least twice in 28 days, 2016-21
- Participation in sports has risen…
- Figure 4: Adult participation (aged 16+) in leisure/sporting activity in England, May 2016/17-May 2020/21
- …but consumers are still wary of gym and sports activities
- Figure 5: Consumer attitudes towards participation in activities, 29 December 2021-5 January 2022
- Advertising spend accelerates in 2021
- Figure 6: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on sports goods, 2018-21
- Companies and brands
- Figure 7: Key metrics for selected brands, 2022
- Sports goods brands and their active innovations
- JD Sports and Sports Direct come out on top as specialists
- Figure 8: Sports goods specialists revenues, 2017-21
- The consumer
- At-home exercise remains high even after restrictions end
- Figure 9: Sports participation over the last 12 months, 2022
- Consumer comfort drives purchasing
- Figure 10: Types of sports goods purchased in the last 12 months, 2022
- Online shopping remains the preference for sports goods
- Figure 11: Channels used to purchase sports goods, 2022
- Amazon and Sports Direct compete for most used sports goods retailer
- Figure 12: Retailers used to purchase sports goods, 2022
- Athleisurewear and versatility driving consumer purchasing
- Figure 13: Attitudes towards sportswear and sports goods, 2022
- An emphasis on sustainability for sports goods
- Figure 14: Interest in sports goods innovations, 2022
- The five-year outlook for sports goods
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Issues and Insights
- The cost-of-living squeeze on the sports goods market
- Increasing interest in health and wellbeing since the COVID-19 pandemic
- Opportunities for growth in the sports goods market
- Sports and sustainability
- In-store and immersive experiences can connect retailers and consumers
- Athleisure trend remains strong
- eCommerce and e-sports
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Market Size and Performance
- Strong performance for sports goods in 2021
- Figure 15: Market size for sports goods, 2016-2021
- Growth expected to continue for sports goods
- Strong performance for sports goods in 2021
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Market Forecast
- Five-year outlook for sports goods
- Figure 16: Category outlook for sports goods, 2022-27
- Growth to normalise for sports goods
- Figure 17: Market forecast sports goods, 2016-26
- Sales to dampen as cost pressures rise
- Figure 18: Consumer spending on sports goods, 2016-2026
- Market drivers and assumptions
- Figure 19: Key drivers affecting Mintel’s market forecast, 2016-26
- Forecast methodology
- Five-year outlook for sports goods
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Market Drivers
- Saving still a priority for consumers
- Figure 20: Trends in what extra money is spent on, 2022
- Fewer active adults
- Figure 21: Number of UK adults aged 16+ taking part in sport at least twice in 28 days, 2016-21
- Participation in sports has risen…
- Figure 22: Adult participation (aged 16+) in leisure/sporting activity in England, May 2016/17-May 2020/21
- …but consumers are still wary of gym and sports activities
- Figure 23: Consumer attitudes towards participation in activities, 29 December 2021-5 January 2022
- GDP reached pre-pandemic levels in November 2021…
- …but the post-COVID-19 bounceback will be followed by a period of slower growth
- Employment has held up better than expected
- Inflation is the key concern for 2022 for consumers, brands and the economy
- Consumers’ financial wellbeing has slipped from its recent high point…
- Figure 24: Household financial wellbeing index, 2019-22
- …and inflation has become the key concern for consumers and brands
- Figure 25: Consumer concerns about household finances, 2021-22
- The conflict in Ukraine will hurt the UK economy
- Key demographics to be impacted by rising inflation
- Figure 26: Real wage growth – average weekly earnings vs inflation, 2016-22
- Saving still a priority for consumers
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Launch Activity and Innovation
- Brand and product launches
- Vuori launches in the UK
- Lululemon launches first ever shoe collection
- Sportswear platform Apparelle launches
- Adidas launches ‘extensive’ new sports bra collection
- Peloton extend Strive Score to app-only users
- Missguided launches new activewear range
- New Balance partners with District Vision to launch activewear and micro-courses on mental health
- Stores and in-store concepts
- Gymshark London store set to open summer 2022
- Niketown London gets children involved in experiential sports through PLAYLab
- Lululemon to open 20th UK store
- Figure 27: Lululemon’s latest UK store, Brighton
- M&S open pop-up to showcase latest Goodmove activewear range
- Figure 28: Marks and Spencer’s Goodmove menswear collection, 2022
- Decathlon open shop-in-shop in Tesco
- German sportswear brand BSTN opens in the UK
- Sustainable sports
- Decathlon moves into the rental market with Hirestreet partnership
- Figure 29: Decathlon and Hirestreet, 2022
- Nike football kits made from 95% recycled plastic water bottles
- Brompton expand pay-as-you-go scheme to include subscription service
- Patagonia’s Worn Wear Tour returns to Europe
- Into the metaverse
- Nike aquires metaverse brand RTFKT
- Alo Yoga enters Roblox with virtual wellness experience
- Mergers/collaborations
- Adidas partners with Bored Ape Yacht Club
- Adidas and Pharrell Williams launch Humanrace premium basics collection
- Zara partners with TRX Training Club to stock new sportswear product
- Innovations in materials
- Carbon38 launches a new technical fabric in its collection
- Nike’s latest shoe glueless for easier recycling
- Adidas reveal Futurecraft Strung technology to construct trainers
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Advertising and Marketing Activity
- Advertising spend accelerates in 2021
- Figure 30: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on sports goods, 2018-21
- Growth in digital spend bolstered by online-heavy campaigns
- Figure 31: Percentage of total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on sports goods, by media type, 2018-21
- Peloton continues to be the majority ad spender
- Figure 32: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on sports goods, top 10 spenders, 2018-21
- Brands increase their digital ad spend, but some still rely on TV
- Figure 33: Total above-the-line, online display direct mail advertising expenditure on sports goods, top 10 spenders percentage by media type, 2021
- Latest campaigns
- Nike launches “Own The Floor” dance campaign
- Adidas releases latest chapter of “Impossible is Nothing” campaign
- Asics “Mind Race” campaign showcases the link between movement and mental health
- Figure 34: Asics Mind Race campaign
- Peloton campaign highlights formerly sceptical members
- Sports Direct launches “Save The Bumblebees” campaign
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
- Advertising spend accelerates in 2021
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Brand Research
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- Figure 35: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, 2022
- Key brand metrics
- Figure 36: Key metrics for selected brands, 2022
- Brand attitudes: Sports Direct viewed as good value
- Figure 37: Attitudes, by brand, 2022
- Brand personality: Gymshark viewed as ethical and fun
- Figure 38: Brand personality – macro image, 2022
- Lululemon and Sweaty Betty stylish, yet pricey
- Figure 39: Brand personality – micro image, 2022
- Brand analysis
- Gymshark viewed as diverse and fun
- Lululemon perceived as more expensive
- Sweaty Betty considered a stylish brand
- JD Sports holds the most awareness
- Sports Direct most well-known and accessible
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Leading Retailers
- Sports retailers: JD Sports and Sports Direct come out on top
- Figure 40: Sports goods specialists revenues, 2017-21
- Leading specialists store numbers
- Figure 41: Sports goods specialists outlet numbers, 2017-21
- Sports retailers: JD Sports and Sports Direct come out on top
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Sports Participation
- At-home exercise remains high even after restrictions end
- Figure 42: Sports participation over the last 12 months, 2022
- At-home exercise remains high even after restrictions end
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Sports Goods Purchased
- Footwear and athleisurewear the most purchased products
- Figure 43: Types of sports goods purchased in the last 12 months, 2022
- Generation Z the main purchasers of sports goods
- Figure 44: Types of sports goods purchased in the last 12 months, by demographic, 2022
- Young males the top purchasers of fitness equipment
- Figure 45: Fitness equipment purchased in the last 12 months, by gender and age group, 2022
- Footwear and athleisurewear the most purchased products
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Channels and Retailers Used
- Online shopping remains the preference for sports goods
- Figure 46: Channels used to purchase sports goods, 2022
- Amazon and Sports Direct compete for the most used retailer
- Figure 47: Retailers used to purchase sports goods, 2022
- Online shopping remains the preference for sports goods
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Attitude towards Sports Goods
- Crossover between sports goods and fashion drives purchasing of sportswear
- Figure 48: Attitudes towards sportswear among consumers, 2022
- Males show more interest in the latest sportswear trends
- Figure 49: Attitudes towards buying the latest sportswear trends, by gender, 2022
- Crossover between sports goods and fashion drives purchasing of sportswear
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Interest in Innovations
- Sustainable sportswear peaks consumer interests
- Figure 50: Interest in sports goods innovations, 2022
- Opportunities within personalised items and the rental space
- Sustainable sportswear peaks consumer interests
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Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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