The latest Sport Consumer Survey IV: Europe by NPD, conducted among consumers in Germany, France, the U.K., Italy and Spain, has examined consumer’s sporting activities during the 2021 pandemic. According to the report, hiking, yoga and running were the top activities in Europe, while soccer was the only sport that saw a decline. With 19 percent each, hiking, walking and outdoor activities as well as yoga, Pilates and meditation recorded the most significant increases in participation. Running (+16 percent), cycling (+11 percent) and training/fitness/workout/gym classes (+7 percent) saw growth, while soccer declined by 10 percent (which was most likely to happen to a team sport during a pandemic).
NPD sees an increase in outdoor and hiking participants, mainly driven by the 18-34 and 55+ age groups. Running was particularly strong in the 55+ age group, while the 18-to-34-year-olds had the highest participation rates in yoga, Pilates and meditation.
“Consumers are participating in more diverse activities more often, and it’s up to the industry to educate them on products that will help them stay in the game, so to speak,” said Felix Letfuss, sports senior account manager for the NPD Group in Europe. “This is particularly important for consumers who started a new sports activity during the pandemic. It’s imperative that we keep these consumers engaged post-pandemic, focusing on education and incentives for these new participants.”
