The German sporting goods co-op is piloting a new retail format in Halle (Saale) designed to reach a wider audience through lower-barrier pricing, experiential in-store zones and a permanently rotating sale area.
Intersport Deutschland eG has opened Germany’s first Intersport Superstore in the center of Halle (Saale), debuting a new standalone retail format that the cooperative intends to roll out across 100 locations by 2030. The store, situated on the city’s Marktplatz, launched on March 26 following a three-day opening event.
A new format within an accelerating expansion plan
The Halle store is the first location built entirely to the Superstore template rather than converted from an existing Intersport footprint. It arrives as the co-op pushes through the halfway mark of its 100-location growth target under the “Best in Sports: Up for Future” strategy, with more than 50 new sites already reached.
The format is positioned as a more accessible proposition than the standard Intersport store. The assortment spans Urban Sports, Outdoor and Camping, Running, Fitness, Team Sports and Winter Sports – supplemented by the co-op’s own labels Energetics, McKinley and Pro Touch, which anchor the entry-price segment. A permanently installed “Super Sale” zone with rotating stock runs year-round, a feature Intersport presents as structurally distinct from seasonal clearance.
EIntersport bets on try-before-you-buy zones to distinguish physical retail from online
The store design prioritizes product interaction. Open floor areas allow customers to try goods before purchasing. Spatial layout and category-specific signage are intended to support independent navigation rather than reliance on staff assistance – a format choice that has implications for labor efficiency at scale.
The visual merchandising retains Intersport’s brand language while giving the Superstore a separate identity. Services familiar to existing Intersport customers – including the Intersport Club loyalty program, omnichannel fulfillment and specialist advice – are carried over into the new format.
About Intersport Deutschland eG
Founded more than 70 years ago and headquartered in Heilbronn, Intersport Deutschland eG is Germany’s largest sporting goods buying cooperative. Its network covers around 1,400 member stores – approximately 420 trading under the Intersport brand – with a combined retail footprint of around 500,000 sqm and approximately 3 million customers.
