Buy the full study
Summary of our market study
The French sporting goods retail market is estimated at over 14 billion euros.
The economic weight of sport in France exceeds 90 billion euros.
A significant proportion of French people, particularly in the 18-34 age bracket, spend an average of between 200 and 250 euros a year on sporting goods and services.
The sector is forecast to grow by 9% in 2022, and the market is driven by global sporting events such as the Rugby World Cup and the Paris Olympics.
70% of French people are runners. This craze is fuelling sales of sporting goods.
Decathlon and Intersport dominate the sector
Seasonality affects demand, with peaks in August and December.
Counterfeiting is estimated at 6% of annual sales.
Key players in the sporting goods retail market
- Décathlon: A French world leader
- Intersport: The multi-sports retail giant
- Adidas
- Nike
- Puma
to understand this market
Detailed content of our market study
Inforamtion
- Number of pages : ~ 40 pages
- Format : Digital and PDF versions
- Last update :
Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Market definition
A sports article can be defined as any equipment used to practice a sport. It may be clothing (shoes, jerseys, etc.), equipment (tennis rackets, footballs, handballs, etc.) or even machines, such as those used for weight training (rowing machines or treadmills, for example). Talking about the market involves two aspects: manufacturing and distribution.
It's important to distinguish between sporting goods and sports equipment, the latter referring to fittings or constructions that enable the practice of one or more sports.
Nevertheless, sportswear, a type of clothing designed in the United States, can be considered sporting goods, although it is more a clothing trend than a genuine item developed for the practice of sport. This study will therefore cover both sportswear and sportswear.
On a global scale, this is a very dynamic market, with an estimated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.5% over the next 10 years, between 2023 and 2034.
In a market that was once made up of small, family-run businesses, the last few decades have changed the established order once and for all. Production is no longer the same, transformed by technological innovation and globalization; and large companies, such as Decathlon and Intersport, account for a large share of sporting goods distribution. added to this are a growing number of start-ups trying to make their mark in a high-potential market.
Since Covid, the French domestic market has been growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.33%.
In 2022, the market grew by 9%, driven in particular by government measures to encourage the practice of sport (such as the Pass'Sport) and rising prices.
Between 2020 and 2023, the market enjoyed growth of 34%, also buoyed by the organization of global sporting events (Rugby World Cup, Olympic Games in Paris in 2024).
So, two years after the health crisis, the sporting goods retail sector is doing very well overall, even if some players are struggling in the inflationary context. This is the case of Go Sport, one of the major players in the French market, whose profitability has fallen considerably in recent years, and which, in receivership, was awaiting a buyer. On April 28, 2023, the Grenoble Commercial Court validated the plan to sell the assets and activities of the Go Sport Group to Intersport France.
1.2 A fast-growing global market
The sporting goods distribution market is highly dynamic worldwide. The market size was $***.* billion in **** and is expected to grow at a CAGR (***) of *.*% to reach $***.* billion by ****. [***]
North America was the largest contributor to the global sports equipment and apparel market with $**.* billion in **** sports goods and equipment[***], accounting for ...
1.3 Domestic market
In ****, the BPCE Observatory indicates that the economic weight of sport (***) in France will exceed *.*% of GDP, or ** billion euros.
In all, ** billion euros in sales were generated by companies in the sports sector, and final consumption of sports goods and services by French households amounted to ** billion euros, including **.* billion ...
1.4 Market specifics
A distribution market controlled by generalists
One of the particularities of the sporting goods retail sector is the importance of a few major chains. Decathlon, Intersport and Sport **** have succeeded in establishing themselves throughout the country, totalling thousands of specialist sports stores. Smaller, non-specialized stores are facing difficulties and finding it ...
2 Demand analysis
2.1 Sport in France: structural and cyclical demand
Growth in sporting activity in France
Today's changing lifestyles (***). In ****, **% of the French population said they practiced a regular physical activity, while **% of the population did no sport at all. By ****, the proportion of the working population practicing sport at least once a week had risen by * points on ****, to **%.
This ...
2.2 New audiences, new practices and innovations
New practices: running and outdoor
By ****, **.* million French people will be running (***). running alone represents a market worth almost * billion euros, "which makes it the leading sports market in France, if we put aside the * billion euro bicycle market. "according to Union Sport & Cycle's General Delegate for Ouest France.
This trend ...
2.3 Motivations for practising sport
A major factor in the growth of the sporting goods market is the development of sporting activities in general. While some sport is practised purely for leisure, others are motivated by a growing awareness or even a trend towards sport for health or aesthetic reasons. In January ****, a survey by Odoxa ...
2.4 Household purchasing behaviour
In ****, French households spent an average of nearly *** euros on sporting goods and *** euros on sports services (***) sccording to the Conseil d'État report on sports policy. Household spending on sport is rising steadily, from just ** billion euros in **** to ** billion in ****.
A study by the Toluna institute establishes that a ...
2.5 Web analysis of demand
Google trends :
Thanks to Google Trends, we can compare the intensity of searches for "sports stores" in all French regions. Corsica, Savoie and even Ardèche top the list.
table {mso-displayed-decimal-separator:"\,"; mso-displayed-thousand-separator:" ";}tr {mso-height-source:auto;}col {mso-width-source:auto;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}td {padding-top:*px; padding-right:*px; padding-left:*px; mso-ignore:padding; color:black; font-size:**.*pt; font-weight:***; font-style:normal; text-decoration:none; font-family:Calibri, ...
2.6 France's favorite brands
The graph below is based on OpinionWay's survey of the French people's favorite brands in ****. For each brand, the percentage corresponds to the proportion of respondents who answered "yes".
Decathlon is France's favorite sporting goods retailer, with **% of respondents saying they liked it, followed by Adidas, at **.*%. The least appreciated brand ...
3 Market structure
3.1 Industry forces and organization
The value chain in the French sporting goods market can be broken down into two main categories: manufacturers and distributors. However, as the Union sport & cycleit is possible to be even more precise. In fact, the association identifies * main types of manufacturer (***):
new entrants: positioned in emerging market segments (***); specialized manufacturers: ...
3.2 A multi-stage production process
The production process depends on the product. However, the preliminary stage is always the same: analysis of athletes' needs. Next comes product design. Designers and engineers, more or less numerous depending on the technical nature of the product, work together to design the product so that it meets the specifications.
Then ...
3.3 Distribution is carried out by brands that are more or less involved in manufacturing
According to the PIPAME report, we can distinguish * types of company (***).
Companies that distribute products designed, manufactured or assembled in France: Manufacturers (***) produce their products, part of which are made in France. They have no distribution network of their own. Manufacturer-distributors (***) produce their products, part of which are made in France. ...
3.4 Number of stores and geographical breakdown
Growth in the number of sports stores
Like the sector's sales, the number of players operating in the sporting goods trade in specialist stores was fairly stable prior to ****. By ****, we're seeing an increase in the number of establishments, with *,*** companies operating under the corresponding NAF code. The number of sporting ...
3.5 Web analysis of industry players
Traffic trends :
Décathlon traffic trends (***) France, ****-****, in millions of visits Source: ****
The number of visitors to the decathlon.fr website fluctuates between around ** and ** million per month. It should be noted that the drop in April-May **** is due to a change in measurement by Semrush.
Evolution of Nike traffic ...
4 Offer analysis
4.1 An abundance of products
The sporting goods market encompasses a vast range of products, both in terms of types (***) and sport categories.
In ****, the categories that contributed most to sales growth in Europe were footwear, linked to fitness, running... (***). These figures illustrate the underlying trend towards individual sports. The cycle market is also benefiting from ...
4.2 Variable prices
Budget brands: these generally offer affordable products for everyone, with no particular visual distinction. This enables them to target a wide audience and make sporting activities affordable to all, with prices ranging from €* to €** depending on the product. Low-cost brands include Artengo and Kalenji, for example. Mid-range brands: these offer products ...
5 Regulations
5.1 Regulations
Textile products in particular are subject to transparency obligations in terms of product composition. According to the DGCCRFlabelling or marking of textile products is governed by a Community text, directly applicable in all member states".
As far as sportswear is concerned, trademarks are particularly threatened by counterfeiting. According to the EUIPO(***), ...
6 Companies
6.1 Segmentation
- Skis Rossignol
- Salomon (Amer Sport groupe)
- Babolat
- PIQ
- Go Sport France
- Adidas
- Puma Groupe
- Courir France
- Foot Locker
- Sunset Sport
- Glisshop (Lafreto groupe)
- Intersport France
- Quiksilver Bilabong
- Sport 2000
- N4 Brands Fitness Boutique
- Planet Fitness Equipements
- Ekosport
- Décathlon France
- Decathlon Groupe
- Aptonia (Decathlon)
- Private Sport Shop
- JD Sport
- Intersport International
- Columbia Sports Wear
- Berger Camping
- Butterfly
- Cornilleau
- la Boule Bleue
- Obut
- Ekoï
- Aigle
- Lafuma
- Gilbert Rugby
- Running Conseil
- Au Vieux Campeur
- Venum
- Blaise Frères
List of charts presented in this market study
- Worldwide sporting goods retail market and forecasts
- Sales of sporting goods in specialized stores (NAF code 47.64Z)
- French sporting goods market, by product category
- Breakdown of sporting goods distribution market share
- French physical activity and sport rates
All our studies are available online in PDF format
Take a look at an example of our research on another market!
Latest news
Yannick Morat (Ekosport): "Opening two or three stores a year is a good pace" - 25/09/2024
- - Ekosport creation date: 2007
- - Total number of Ekosport stores in France: 12
- - Number of Ekosport Rent stores opened by Sport 2000 last season: 32
- - Target for Ekosport Rent stores this season: over 50
- - Ekosport 2023 sales: 95 million euros excluding VAT
Lafuma: 94 years of backpack innovation - 21/08/2024
- - 1930: Creation of the Lafuma brand.
- - 1936: Invention of the metal frame for the Tyrol backpack.
- - 1953: Tensing Norgay uses a Lafuma backpack to climb Everest.
- - 2020 : All Lafuma backpacks are made from 100% recycled materials.
- - 2022 : Launch of Second Leaf, Lafuma's second-hand e-commerce platform.
- - September 2023: Lafuma introduces free lifetime repair for its outdoor equipment.
- - 2022 : Acquisition of a factory in Hungary and opening of a new factory in Tunisia by the Millet Group, owner of Lafuma.
Tennis: Babolat still holds the line - 07/08/2024
- - age at which Rafael Nadal started using a Babolat racket: 9.
- - Year of Nadal's first Roland Garros victory with a Babolat racket: 2005.
- - Babolat company anniversary: 150th in 2025.
- - Percentage of sales represented by gut strings: 5%.
- - Year Babolat invented its first electric stringing machine: 1975.
- - Year Babolat launched its first racket: 1994.
- - Year Babolat launched its first tennis balls: 2001.
- - Year of launch of tennis shoes in partnership with Michelin: 2003.
- - Number of rackets sold per year: 1.5 million.
- - Sales 2023: close to 200 million euros.
- - Year B. Braun acquired a stake in Babolat: 1981.
- - Number of players under contract with Babolat: 170.
- - Babolat's first market: United States.
- - Babolat's second market: Japan.
- - Babolat's third market: France.
- - Share of sales generated by padel: over 15%.
- - Potential padel market in 5 to 10 years: equivalent to tennis or badminton.
- - Current size of the global padel market: 150 to 200 million euros.
- - Worldwide badminton (and tennis) market size: 1.5 billion euros.
- - Share of European and American markets in Babolat sales: 50% for Europe and 25% for the United States.
Summer brands: Obut petanque boules, always at the cutting edge - 06/08/2024
- 1907 Invention of Pétanque
- 1929 Creation of the first steel Pétanque ball by Jean Blanc
- 1955 Obut brand registered
- 2003 The Souvignet family becomes sole shareholder and owner of the Obut brand
- 12,000 m² factory at Saint-Bonnet-le-Château
- Obut manufactures over 200,000 boules per month (nearly 2.5 million per year)
- French and world leader in pétanque boules despite Chinese competition
Cornilleau, the global benchmark for ping-pong tables - 29/07/2024
- - Number of employees: 120
- - Sales: 35 million euros
- - Export share: 55
- - Presence in 80 countries
- - Purchase of main steel supplier located in Oise for integration of bending, welding, punching and tube work.
- - Diversification strategy: development of outdoor billiards and table soccer.
Beaumanoir, Quiksilver and Roxy's lifeline - 06/06/2024
- - Boardriders generated sales of 300 million euros in Western Europe last year.
- - Beaumanoir hopes to wipe out Boardriders' losses within three years.
- - Boardriders has 150 branch stores and thousands of partner outlets.
Companies quoted in this study
This study contains a complete overview of the companies in the market, with the latest figures and news for each company. :
Choosing this study means :
Access to more than 35 hours of work
Our studies are the result of over 35 hours of research and analysis. Using our studies allows you to devote more time and added value to your projects.
Benefit from 6 years' experience and over 1,500 industry reports already produced
Our expertise enables us to produce comprehensive studies in all sectors, including niche and emerging markets.
Our know-how and methodology enable us to produce reports that offer unique value for money.
Access to several thousand articles and paid-for data
Businesscoot has access to all the paid economic press as well as exclusive databases to carry out its market research (over 30,000 articles and private sources).
To enhance our research, our analysts also use web indicators (semrush, trends, etc.) to identify market trends and company strategies. (Consult our paying sources)
Guaranteed support after your purchase
A team dedicated to after-sales service, to guarantee you a high level of satisfaction. +44 238 097 0676
A digital format designed for our users
Not only do you have access to a PDF, but also to a digital version designed for our customers. This version gives you access to sources, data in Excel format and graphics. The content of the study can therefore be easily retrieved and adapted for your specific needs.
Our offers :
the sports distribution market | France
- What are the figures on the size and growth of the market?
- What is driving the growth of the market and its evolution?
- What is the positioning of companies in the value chain?
- Data from several dozen databases
Pack 5 études (-15%) France
- 5 études au prix de 75,6€HT par étude à choisir parmi nos 800 titres sur le catalogue France pendant 12 mois
- Conservez -15% sur les études supplémentaires achetées
- Choisissez le remboursement des crédits non consommés au terme des 12 mois (durée du pack)
Consultez les conditions du pack et de remboursement des crédits non consommés.
Our customer references
They have consulted our studies
Discover the opinions (+500)
Malcolm Vincent
Astoria Finance
Gregoire de Castelnau
Stags Participations
Timothé Huignard
PWC
Paul-Alexis Kebabtchieff
BCG
Aymeric Granet
Publicis Consultant
interviews & case studies
All interviews and case studies (45)
