Volatile conditions with wars and conflicts around the world, economic uncertainties and high inflation rates weighed on consumers’ buying mood last year. This posed a particular challenge for medium-sized specialist retailers. The focus of the Germany-based ANWR Group in 2023 was on raising the profile and increasing the profitability of its affiliated retail businesses for footwear, sports and leather goods. The group’s business volume fell by 5 percent in FY23 compared to the record previous year to €20.7 billion.
“2023 was a particularly challenging year,” said Frank Schuffelen, CEO of the ANWR Group. “Inflation rates, high cost pressure and the depressed consumer sentiment caused by the geopolitical situation had a negative impact on the retail sector as a whole. As a cooperative community, we are therefore focusing on raising the profile of our affiliated retail companies and thus promoting their long-term profitability.”
Sporting goods down 9 percent
This was backed up by various initiatives last year, including the expansion of the Absolute Run and Absolute Teamsport specialist concepts in the sporting goods segment and the establishment of the Witeblaze private label, as well as comprehensive 360° business consulting in the footwear segment and the piloting of the Pure Wear sustainability concept. In addition, the ongoing development of the company’s own e-commerce platforms schuhe.de, sport2000.de and bagmondo.de also contributes to the retailers’ profile and omnichannel capabilities.
The volatile conditions led to restrained orders by the affiliated retailers. This, in turn, dampened the development of the ANWR Group’s business volume in recent years. At €2.9 billion, the ANWR, Garant, Rexor, Sport 2000 and Goldkrone affiliated groups in Germany and other European countries were nine percent below the previous year’s level in 2023. The footwear segment closed the year at €1.3 billion (-9 percent), while sporting goods closed at €1.5 billion (-9 percent). At €116 million, the volume of sales in the leather goods division was -3 percent.
ANWR Group’s two banks, DZB Bank GmbH and Aktivbank AG, achieved a business volume of €17.7 billion (-4 percent). The banks provide financial services for affiliated business networks, the majority of which do not belong to the ANWR Group, in the building materials, wood, furniture, automotive, sanitary and heating, toy and bicycle sectors, among others.
Collaboration and networking is key
Despite the challenges, ANWR Group considers itself well-positioned for the future. “We believe in the strength of the collaborative retail trade,” said Schuffelen. “Together with many thousands of entrepreneurs on both the retailer and supplier side, we have an enormous powerhouse at our disposal. We are in a position to actively shape change in the retail sector. Such a power plant provides stability.”
The ANWR Group will take this mission into account with this year’s “Retail Beats” future festival: “On June 6, the heartbeat of the medium-sized shoe, sports and leather goods retail sector will be felt on the campus in Mainhausen. We will provide answers to important retail questions on this inspiring day and recharge our batteries for the future together,“ Schuffelen is certain.
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