Sports & Outdoor Fashion - UK - December 2018

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Products covered in this report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The market
Market set to reach £7.2 billion in 2018
Figure 1: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK value sales of sports and outdoor fashion, 2013-23
Sustained interest in sports participation
Figure 2: active adults taking part in sports or physical activity at least twice over a 28-day period, millions of people, 2016-18
Clothing and footwear boosted by hot weather
Figure 3: Annual percentage change in leading category retail sales at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by month, 2018
Companies and brands
Sports Direct is market leader
Figure 4: Market share of sports specialists, 2016-17
adidas outshines Nike with new strategy
Vans has successful year
More activewear launches for non-specialists
Retro brands make a comeback
Figure 5: Key metrics for selected brands, September 2018
The consumer
Trainers most popular purchase
Figure 6: Sportswear and outdoorwear categories purchased, September 2018
In-store still reigns, but online catching up
Figure 7: Channel used for buying sports and outdoor fashion, September 2018
Amazon is the most popular retailer after Sports Direct
Figure 8: Retailers where consumers have bought sports or outdoor fashion in the last 12 months, September 2018
Price, comfort and quality most important
Figure 9: Top factors when choosing sports and outdoor fashion items, September 2018
Having a wide range of items is important for retailers
Figure 10: Top three reasons to choose one retailer over another, September 2018
Consumers want more versatility
Figure 11: Consumer behaviour towards sports and outdoor fashion, September 2018
People trust non-specialists for sports and outdoor fashion
Figure 12: Attitudes towards branded and own-brand products for sports and outdoor fashion, September 2018
Diversity is not a priority, but is important
Figure 13: Attitudes towards diversity in sports and outdoor fashion, September 2018
What we think
ISSUES AND INSIGHTS
Scope for brands and retailers to appeal to a more female audience
The facts
The implications
Have we reached peak athleisure?
The facts
The implications
How sports and outdoor retailers can stand out
The facts
The implications
THE MARKET – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Market set to read £7.2 billion in 2018
Sustained interest in sports participation
A great year of sports
Growth in women’s sport
Clothing and footwear boosted by hot weather
MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
Market set to reach £7.2 billion in 2018
Figure 14: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK value sales of sports and outdoor fashion, 2013-23
Market to grow 5.4% annually until 2023
Figure 15: UK value sales of sports and outdoor fashion, at current and 2018 prices, 2013-23
MARKET DRIVERS
A great year of sports
Figure 16: What consumers did during the FIFA World Cup in 2018, August 2018
Increased levels of activity
Figure 17: active adults taking part in sports or physical activity at least twice over a 28-day period, millions of people, 2016-18
Growth in women’s sport
This Girl Can: ‘Fit Got Real’
Figure 18: This Girl Can campaign by Sport England, 2018
Interest in more fashionable sports gear
Figure 19: Rapha retro cycling collection, 2018
Increase in domestic holidays
Figure 20: UK holiday taking, July 2016-July 2018
Clothing and footwear boosted by hot weather
Figure 21: Annual percentage change in leading category retail sales at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by month, 2018
COMPANIES AND BRANDS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Sports Direct is market leader – but only just
adidas continues to outshine Nike with new strategy
Increase in fabric innovations
More activewear launches for non-specialists
Sports and outdoorwear adspend on the up
Retro brands make a comeback
MARKET SHARE
Sports Direct losing market share to JD Sports
Figure 22: Market share of sports specialists, 2016-17
Sports footwear retailers suffering
COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES
Sports brands
Nike performance improving
Figure 23: Nike’s Colin Kaepernick poster, 2018
adidas aims to achieve new strategy
Figure 24: adidas ‘Creating the New’ strategy, 2015
Lifestyle retailers
Skate brands
Figure 25: Converse felt collection with JW Anderson, 2018
Figure 26: This if Off the Wall: ‘Girls Skate India’ Vans campaign, 2018
Winter outdoor brands
LAUNCH ACTIVITY AND INNOVATION
Experiential shopping
The North Face Alpine Pop-up
Figure 27: The North Face pop-up in Val San Nicolò, in the Italian Alps, July 2018.
NikeLab Tech Pack
Nike’s new New York City flagship is its most innovative yet
Figure 28: Nike’s new flagship store in New York, 2018
adidas aim to combat plastic pollution
Figure 29: Stella McCartney x Stan Smith, 2018
Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop launches London pop-up
Figure 30: Wellness store Goop, 2018
Fabric Innovations
Twentyfour15 Optic Bomber
Vollebak solar charged jacket
Figure 31: Vollebak solar charged jacket
Spider silk Moon Parka ski jacket by The North Face
Columbia’s OutDry Ex Eco Shell revolutionizes eco-friendly outerwear
Converse waterproof collection
Figure 32: Converse Mountain Club capsule collection, 2018
adidas collaborates with main transport links
Ticket to ride
Figure 33: adidas EQT Support 93 / Berlin collaboration, July 2018
adidas x TfL
Figure 34: adidas Originals for TfL, 2018
Active-wear Launches
H&M launches circular active-wear range
Amazon launches its own active-wear label
Venus Williams launches inclusive sportswear range EleVen
Marie Claire Sport
Figure 35: Marie Claire Sport, 2018
Collaborations
Disney x ASICS
Fendi x Fila
Rapha x Apple
NASA x Vans
Figure 36: Vans x Space Voyager shoes, 2018
Events
New balance is watching you
Nike uses 3D printing to create the lightest possible trainer
Nike Reactland
Figure 37: Nike’s Reactland, July 2018
Converse One Star Hotel
Figure 38: MadeMe designer Erin Magee in her themed room at the One Star Hotel, 2018
Puma’s ‘House of Hustle’: getting it wrong
ADVERTISING AND MARKETING ACTIVITY
Increase in sportswear and outdoor wear adspend
Figure 39: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on sports and outdoor fashion, 2014-18
adidas top spender
Figure 40: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on sports clothing and footwear, top 15 spenders, 2014-18
Inclusive and empowering campaigns
The North Face “She Moves Mountains” campaign
Figure 41: The North Face ‘She Moves Mountains’ campaign, April 2018
adidas “Create The Answer” FIFA World Cup campaign
Figure 42: Stills from adidas’ “create the answer” FIFA World Cup campaign, June 2018
New Balance
Half of advertising is via digital
Figure 43: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on sports and outdoor fashion, by media type, 2015-18
Figure 44: Total above-the-line, online display, and direct mail advertising expenditure on sportswear, by media type, 2018
Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
BRAND RESEARCH
What you need to know
Brand map
Figure 45: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, September 2018
Key brand metrics
Figure 46: Key metrics for selected brands, September 2018
Brand attitudes: Retro brands perceived to offer good value for money
Figure 47: Attitudes, by brand, September 2018
Brand personality: The North Face and Timberland seen as fun
Figure 48: Brand personality – Macro image, September 2018
Retro Brands are overrated but The North Face and Patagonia are cutting edge
Figure 49: Brand personality – Micro image, September 2018
Brand analysis
The North Face is the most trusted
Figure 50: User profile of The North Face, September 2018
Patagonia considered the most ethical
Figure 51: User profile of Patagonia, September 2018
Timberland shows highest awareness
Figure 52: User profile of Timberland, September 2018
Champion targets millennial consumers
Figure 53: User profile of Champion, September 2018
Fila has more trust from males
Figure 54: User profile of Fila, September 2018
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Trainers most popular purchase
In-store still reigns, but online catching up
Amazon is the most popular retailer after Sports Direct
Price, comfort and quality most important
Range of items important for retailers
Consumers desire versatile items
Diversity needed
ITEMS BOUGHT
Trainers remain most popular purchase
Figure 55: Sportswear and outdoorwear categories purchased, September 2018
Sports and outdoor fashion items still fit gender stereotypes
Figure 56: Sportswear and outdoorwear categories purchased, by gender, September 2018
Figure 57: OHMME yoga clothing for men, 2018
Sweatshirt and trainers least likely to have been bought for sports use
Figure 58: Reasons for purchasing sports and outdoor fashion items, crossed by items bought, September 2018
Three quarters of swimwear purchasers bought for casual use
Figure 59: Speedo Disney collaboration, 2018
Younger consumers are heaviest users of sports and outdoor fashion
Figure 60: Repertoire of sportswear products bought by demographics, September 2018
RETAILERS AND CHANNELS USED
In-store still taking lions share, but online catching up
Figure 61: Channel used for buying sports and outdoor fashion, September 2018
Sports Direct the most popular retailer while JD Sports comes in third
Figure 62: Retailers where consumers have bought sports or outdoor fashion in the last 12 months, September 2018
Figure 63: People who have bought from Sports Direct or JD Sports, by location, September 2018
Men more drawn to Amazon, women to fashion retailers
Figure 64: Consumers who have bought sports or outdoor fashion from Amazon or fashion retailers in the last 12 months, by age and gender, September 2018
Figure 65: Amazon’s Aurique activewear range for women, 2018
adidas could do more to attract female buyers
Figure 66: Consumer who have bought sports or outdoor fashion from Nike or adidas in the last 12 months, by gender, September 2018
Figure 67: Nike’s partnership with England Netball,2018
Outdoor retailers appeal to widest demographic
Figure 68: Consumers who have bought sports or outdoor fashion from an outdoor retailer in the last 12 months, by age and gender, September 2018
Figure 69: Mountain Warehouse promotional materials, 2018
Younger shoppers less loyal
Figure 70: Repertoire of retailers used to buy sportswear, by age, September 2018
IMPORTANT FACTORS WHEN CHOOSING ITEMS
Price, comfort and quality all come top…
Figure 71: Top factors when choosing sports and outdoor fashion items, September 2018
…particularly for older age groups
Figure 72: Top three factors when choosing sports and outdoor fashion items, by age, September 2018
Younger age groups more interested in technical aspects
Figure 73: Other important factors when choosing sports and outdoor fashion items, by age, September 2018
HOW CONSUMERS DECIDE WHERE TO SHOP
Value for money is a must
Figure 74: Top three reasons to choose one retailer over another, September 2018
Range of items brings customers in
BEHAVIOURS TOWARDS SPORTS AND OUTDOOR FASHION
Desire for versatility
Figure 75: PATTERNITY and John Lewis athleisure and homeware, 2018
Figure 76: Consumer behaviour towards sports and outdoor fashion, September 2018
Collaborations still pique consumers’ interest
Figure 77: FENDI MANIA collection, 2018
Retro brands making a comeback
Young shoppers inspired by sporting events
Figure 78: Big sporting events inspire me to buy more sportswear, by age and gender, September 2018
Millennial’s likely to blur the lines between formal and informal dress
Figure 79: People who would wear sportswear for more formal occasions, by generation, September 2018
Figure 80: Serena Williams at the Royal Wedding, 2018
ATTITUDES TOWARDS SPORTS AND OUTDOOR FASHION
People happy to purchase sportswear from non-specialists
Figure 81: Attitudes towards branded and own-brand products for sports and outdoor fashion, September 2018
Events appeal to those who are better off financially
Figure 82: Attitudes towards retailers or brands organising more sporting events, September 2018
More diversity needed
Figure 83: Attitudes towards diversity in sports and outdoor fashion, September 2018
Plus-size clothing
Diversity in advertising
Figure 84: ASICS teams up with Elite models, 2018
Figure 85: Sports Direct in-store signage, 2018
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES, ABBREVIATIONS AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Financial definitions
Abbreviations
Consumer research methodology
APPENDIX – MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
Forecast methodology
Figure 86: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK value sales of sports and outdoor fashion, 2018-23