The jogging accessories market - France

1.2 An expanding global market

The jogging accessory market is a subset of the sporting goods market

In ****, this market was worth $*** billion, including $** billion for running, which grew by *% compared to ****

The graph below highlights the evolution of the sporting goods market, which has seen a TCAM of around *.*% between **** and ****. According to Capitalmind, the market is expected to grow at a rate of *.*% until **** to reach US$*** billion

Evolution of the market size of sporting goods World, ****-****, in billions of US dollars Source: ****

The graph below highlights the market distribution by type of sport: running is the *th largest market for sports goods, behind cycling, gym and hiking. Running represents *% of the total world market, but has one of the highest growth rates (***)

Size and growth of major sporting goods categories World, ****-**** Source LSA Conso  

Among the world's leading players in jogging equipment are Nike, Asics, Adidas, Under Armour, Mizuno, Puma, Reebok, New Balance, Brookes and Hanes

1.3 The evolution of the French market: after a decade of growth, a now mature market?

L ' Union Sport - professional union of companies in the field of sport, leisure, cycling and active mobility - estimated that in **** the running market at *** million euros (***). For comparison, football is worth €*** million and tennis €*** million. Nevertheless, according to the syndicate, the market has stagnated since **** - certainly a sign of the market's maturity

These figures can be compared with those given by the research company NDP * billion in France in **** by grouping together

footwear: €*** milliontextiles: €*** millionother accessories and equipment: the rest, more than €*** million

The difference probably lies in the number of products covered by the "Accessories and other equipment" section, the limits of which are not necessarily clear

 Breakdown of the running market in FranceFrance, ****, in %Source: ****

The graph below highlights the evolution of the jogging market in value terms for shoes and textiles alone. We note a slight decline of -*% between **** and ****, after * years of growth with a TCAM of *%. For the research firm, this is due to the many sales of promotional shoes: **% of shoes were purchased at a discount - the market is more driven by "entry-level" products, according to the director of Sport France at NPD David Richard [***]

Revenues from the ...

1.4 Is the growth of running during confinement sustainable?

According to a study conducted by Asics with **** runners during confinement, the practice exploded because it was one of the only possible sports practices. The data collected by its Runkeeper application highlights that the French ran more often and for longer. In April ****, the application recorded an increase of more than ***% in registrations

It remains to be seen whether this enthusiasm for running is sustainable and can convert runners back to practice. According to a study conducted by ASICS, **% of runners who have run during confinement want to maintain this momentum or even increase their activity. [***]

Nevertheless, on the year ****, Virgile Caillet, delegate of the Union Sport [***]

2.1 Running: a popular sport appreciated by the French people

The latest study entitled Sporting activities under the microscope d'Union Sport

Thus, in ****, running is the favourite discipline of the French behind walking/hiking and swimming. *ᵉ

Sports disciplines favoured by the French France, ****, in % Source: ****

Why do the French practice running?

The graphs below show that those who start running do so primarily for fitness (***) fitness. The "competitive" and "social" aspects are also significant.

What was the trigger to start running? France, ****, in % of respondents Source: ****

What are your reasons for running? France, ****, in % of respondents Source: ****

However, the reasons may vary according to gender or age . So, for example, women run mainly for reasons of relaxation and fitness where men also appreciate the performance and competitive aspect. In the millenials, the sensation and competition aspect is important, whereas in the over **s, health and pleasure are more important [***]

2.2 Runner profile: categories of runners and average baskets

* categories of runners

We're counting in **** about **.* million runners (***), the graph below shows the distribution of these runners according to their frequency of practice

The first category of runners are those who regularly practice running as their main sport (***), while occasional runners account for **.*% of the runners. Finally, **.*% of the runners practice running in parallel with another sporting activity that constitutes their main sport. Running is therefore often a way of maintaining and keeping fit

The different categories of riders France, ****, in % Source: ****

A sport practised by both men and women

The feminization running has been a strong trend in recent years. According to Virgile Caillet, General Delegate of Union Sport increased by almost **% between **** and ****. Thus, this feminization has constituted one of the drivers of the application in recent years

Profile of runners by gender France, ****, in % Source: ****

Average baskets of regular runners

Composition of the runners basket (***) France, ****, in % Source Ouest-France   For example, the average basket for jogging accessories is *** euros per year because our study does not include race registrations Average basket of runners by category: Type of runner Basket amount Amount of the basket excluding race registrations Average runner *** € *** € Competitors men *** € NC Women Competitors *** € NC **-** years ...

2.3 Profile of the "competition" runner vs. the "standard" runner

The profile of the competitors differs in some points from that of the classic runners. The table below - based on data from Union Sport

The graph below highlights that road racing (***)

Intention to participate in a race within * year France, ****, in % Source: ****

In France, according to BoursoraMag There are between *,*** and *,*** races a year, for a price between ** and **€

The Paris Marathon is a good example of the success of organized running races. In ****, there were **,*** registered runners, **% of whom were women and **% foreigners [***] In ****, **% of the French had already considered running a marathon according to Odoxa.  

2.4 Determinants of purchase

The main buying factors are specialized websites, in-store salespeople and recommendations from friendly runners

There are differences between runner categories, however: while men prefer specialized sites, women prefer the advice of in-store salespeople

What are the main factors influencing the purchase of jogging accessories? France, ****, in % Source: ****

2.5 Demand trends: sportswear and connected accessories

L e sportswear: the rise in lifestyle use of sportswear

Sportswear is a trend that consists of using sports items as well as fashion items. Thus, **% of French people use sportswear in their daily lives, according to LSA CONSO.  

**% of French people say they are sportswear fans, and among **-** year olds it's **%. The most popular products are sweats, jogging bottoms and leggings

The graph below shows that running is considered fashionable by **% of the French.

In your opinion, which sports departments have the most fashionable clothes? France, ****, in % Source: ****

The criteria for choosing sportswear products are thus less focused on technical and sporting characteristics, but more on the comfort (***)

What attracts lifestyle enthusiasts? France, ****, in % Source: ****

Rising demand for connected jogging accessories

**% of the runners own a connected object related to their passion, which can be

of applications like RunStatic, Strava or Runkeeper. These applications, more or less complete, can provide many detailed statistics appreciated by regular runners of watches with cardio or GPS functionality like Garmin, Suunto or Polar

The demand for connected accessories responds to several logics :

improve the experience by tracking its performance development of recreational practices around this sport community aspect with performance sharing ...

3.1 Segmentation and stakeholder dynamics

Segmentation of actors :

Different types of players can be distinguished in the running goods market

general equipment manufacturers (***) specialized equipment manufacturers (***) manufacturers of connected objects / mobile applications

Top trio dominated by Asics, followed by Nike and Adidas

Asics is the market leader in running in France with **% market share in **** according to Arnaud Leroux, ASICS France Marketing Director. The dynamic is very positive for Asics, whose turnover has increased by **% in ****, its market share has risen from **% in **** to **% in ****. [***]

Many players are present on the French market, including global and generalist players such as New Balance, Reebok (***) and Puma. There are also more specialized players in trail and mountain running such as The North Face, Salomon or La Sportiva. The Decathlon brand dedicated to running - Kalenji - is also very popular with the French.

Behind the leading trio, three specialist players stand out for the regular and committed riders

A study conducted by Union Sport The Team - on the consumption of regular and committed runners highlights the trends behind the top trio. Thus, three specialized players stand out by taking advantage of a strong technical legitimacy:

Brooks On Running Hoka One One

Competitive strategy: the players compete in ...

3.2 Production and cost analysis

Apart from a few rare exceptions, running and trail items are not produced in France

Brands of France lists a few actors including Coureur du Dimanche, Maillot Français, Ogarun and Veets whose production is French. Some Le Coq Sportif items are also produced in France

Production and assembly are thus most often relocated to low-cost countries

Mother companies keep - often in the country of origin of the brand - the following activities

upstream: R downstream: Logistics, Marketing

Runners offers a breakdown of the selling price of running shoes sold for *** € and made in Asia

Raw materials: * € (***) Production cost: * € Manufacturer's Margin: * € Transport and taxes: * € Amortization expenses R Advertising, Marketing, Sponsorship: * € Brand Margin: ** € Distributor's margin: €** (***) VAT : ** €

Nevertheless, this is an example to be put into perspective, as prices and costs vary according to

the brand and its positioning manufacturing method choice of materials level of technology proposed range level proposed shoe type

3.3 Distribution channels according to the type of product purchased

Among the main distribution channels  of sporting goods we count: [***]

Multi-sports brands (***) Brands specialising in running (***) which offer a promise of expertise sought after by brands wishing to assert their technical legitimacy Brand names - physical The pure-players - generalists or specialists Others various shoe shops, department stores, online sales (***), clubs and salons

The use of these channels differs according to the types of products purchased, as highlighted in the * graphs below

Where to buy running shoes France, ****, in % Source: ****

Where to buy running textiles France, ****, in % of sales value Source: ****

On average, the large retail chains are more present in the textile segment than in the footwear segment, where specialist stores dominate with a **% market share. Décathlon dominates among the large retailers, particularly in the textile segment with **% of the total market.

While Décathlon is a leader among multi-sport retailers, its particularity lies in the fact that it offers both its own products and products from major competing brands. Nevertheless, some criticisms have been levelled at the company for wanting to increase the proportion of its private label products, with the result that some people can no longer find the products of major brands - such as Asics ...

3.4 The boom in online sales

As we saw in *.*, online sales have significant market shares - whether through pure players or not. According to NPD Group the share of online sales is **% in ****, and the covid-** crisis and the massive growth of e-commerce since then should improve this share in the future [***]

In France, the share of online sales has been increasing since ****, as shown in the graph below

Share of online sales in the total sales of running articles France, ****-****, in % Source: ****

4.1 The different product families

As stated earlier, jogging equipment can be associated with three different categories: footwear, clothing and other accessories. A wide range of products and ranges can be found, as outlined in the non-exhaustive list below from various runnning sites including Running : shoes, equipment | DECATHLON.

Shoes : Classic running shoes The essential accessory for practice, which prevents joint injuries compared to conventional sports shoes Trail running shoes for mountain running It is a running shoe for long distances in natural environments, which generally has lateral and frontal reinforcement strips.

Clothing : The stockings : Loose shorts Generally worn on top of other, stickier layers to avoid irritation Tights : Indispensable in winter, and to avoid friction The shorty Tights that go down to the calves The shorts : Pantyhose going down to mid-thigh The socks : Models adapted to running allow to reduce blisters The tops : The tank top This type of swimsuit is used in hot weather to help dissipate perspiration The T-shirt This type of jersey is used in cooler weather The long-sleeved jersey This type of swimsuit is used in cool weather to keep warm while promoting the dissipation of perspiration The windbreaker This type of top is used when it is raining or cold to ...

4.2 Prices vary greatly depending on the product range

The running market being very developed and diversified, there are a wide variety of prices depending on the range you are looking for

The table opposite summarizes the main prices charged by distributors of running articles in France

Source: ****

Focus on running shoes

Footwear is the main source of income for players in the sector. The table below lists the average prices of running shoes in **** according to Fashionnetwork. It is noticeable that while the French buy more shoes than the Germans, the prices are much lower, which makes the German market more valuable

According to David Richard of the NDP, there are three reasons for this difference

the German consumer is more interested in quality and service private labels such as Kalenji (***) are more widespread in France Discounts are more present in France

Source: ****

4.3 Innovations and supply trends

The impact of digitisation and connected solutions

The applications of effort and performance measures are a very strong trend in the running market. The main equipment manufacturers are also interested in it, as shown by the acquisition of Runkeeper by Asics in **** [***]

These applications can also participate in the gamification and the development of playful practices around this sport. For example, Runnin'City offers routes designed to take you on a running tour of a city [***]

Connected solutions can also be found on running products and items such as shoes or T-shirts. In ****, Adidas presented a major innovation on the running market, "the Futurecraft Strung" which is a new textile material for shoes that allows for robotic production where each thread is positioned according to the data collected on the runner's foot and gait [***]

These solutions can thus enable to improve performance and comfort, as well as the personalization of the items offered.

Subscription offers

On Running, a Swiss sports brand, launched a subscription formula in **** where the consumer pays €**.** per month to receive new equipment every * to * months, which corresponds to the usual renewal of regular runners. This concept of "Running as a Service" could well interest regular runners. The brand ...

5.1 Regulations

The regulation of the retail trade of sporting goods

If no diploma is required to practise the profession, training centres have developed such as the NCPC or professional centre for the sports goods trade. Indeed, the professional must know the products and expectations of the customers

The **** Law on the Modernisation of the Economy (***) are abolished.

Other main other points include

Payment terms to suppliers: the EML limits payment terms to ** days from the date of issue of the invoice (***). Penalties for exceeding these deadlines are increased. Balances: as of * January ****, the duration of national balances will be reduced to * weeks and the period of floating balances will be abolished (***). Commercial leases: rents for commercial premises are indexed to a new rent review index (***).

Source: ****

About the running articles Nike's "magic shoe", which has led to running records, could prompt the International Federation to change regulations regarding the addition of technology to certain products. Indeed, some consider it to be a " technology doping ". For the time being, these products have escaped bans in official competitions, but a ban could slow down the innovation race of market players [***]

6.1 Segmentation

• Kalenji (Decathlon France)
• Asics
• New Balance
• Brooks Running
• Adidas
• Reebok
• Mizuno
• The North Face
• La Sportiva
• Under Armour
• Salomon (Amer Sport groupe)
• RaidLight
• BV Sport
• Compressport
• Gore Wear
• Buff
• CEP Compression
• We Ward