Sportswear in Western Europe

Delivery

This report comes in PPT.

Key findings

Sustained growth above overall apparel and footwear market

Sportswear continues to outperform the wider apparel and footwear market, underpinned by its structural role across performance, leisure and everyday wear. While post‑pandemic growth has stabilised, the category’s resilience, multi‑use relevance and strong value proposition support continued outperformance, even as overall apparel demand remains under pressure.

Shifting consumer perception driven by value and community

Consumer purchasing decisions are increasingly shaped by perceived value rather than price alone, with emphasis on versatility, durability and functional justification. At the same time, community‑led engagement, local activation and participation‑based storytelling are redefining value, positioning sportswear brands as long‑term partners in wellbeing and lifestyle rather than transactional apparel providers.

Dynamic strategies continue to shape a fragmented competitive landscape

The competitive environment remains highly fragmented, with growth dispersing beyond the top players into a widening pool of specialists, challengers and adjacent entrants. As barriers to entry remain low across lifestyle‑led and niche performance categories, sustained success depends less on scale alone and more on focused specialisation, innovation credibility and the ability to defend relevance in an increasingly crowded market.

Category and demographic targeting remains imperative

Growth in Western European sportswear is increasingly driven by clearly defined consumer segments rather than the mass market. Brands winning share are those targeting specific demographics, activities and entry points - from Gen Z‑led hybrid lifestyles and women’s football to accessible formats in running, padel and multisport - enabling sharper relevance, stronger engagement and more effective product ladders.