The Spanish sporting goods industry had a successful year in 2010, with positive results after two years of recession. With a 1.7 percent sales increase over 2009 to €5,078 million, 2010 indicates a slight recovery from the recession that started in 2008. It was pointed out, however, that most of this increase was due to a revaluation of the VAT by two percentage points last July, so in fact the market was flat.
The figures of the Spanish sporting goods market were presented by the Spanish sports industry association, Afydad, on June 29. The Spanish sporting goods industry expects a further increase in sales for 2011.
A survey conducted by Afydad and Sport Panel indicates that the recent success of Spanish athletes has been a main reason for the increase in consumption of sporting goods. For example, the win by the Spanish national football team in the Fifa World Cup in South Africa last year, and the good performances by Rafa Nadal, Jorge Lorenzo and Pau Gasol, motivated many people in Spain to participate in these sports or other leisure activities, such as running or outdoor activities.
According to the Spanish Advisory Council for Sport, CSD, more than 16 million people in Spain practice any kind of sport. This represents about 43 percent of the Spanish population older than 14 years. Some 49 percent of male Spaniards practise sports, and the same applies for 31 percent of Spanish women. This implies that 69 percent of the female population in Spain do not practise any kind of sport and 51 percent of the male population do not engage in sports, either. The number of people participating in sporting activities in Spain increased by 6 percent compared with the previous year.
The survey by Afydad and Sport Panel shows that the expenditure per person on sporting goods increased in Spain last year by 1.36 percent to €110.21. The cost per household was €292.47 in 2009, the most recent figure available. Compared with the previous year, that was a drop of 4.42 percent.
Another important factor that boosted sales in the previous business year was the internet. Since 2008, online sales have increased by about 49 percent per year. The internet is an effective way for Spanish sporting goods companies to promote their brands and increase sales.
According to Afydad, the sporting goods retail channel, including department stores, large specialized sales areas, multi-sport stores and specialist sporting goods stores, accounts for 77 percent of the total sales in the Spanish sporting goods sector. The sporting goods retail channel grew by 1.94 percent to €3,921 million compared with 2009.
The multi-sport channel, which includes independent retail stores and retail chains that sell all types of sporting goods, grew by 1.43 percent and recorded sales in the amount of €1.525 million in 2010. Specialist sporting goods stores, which sell products for only one kind of sport, account for sales in the amount of €612 million in 2010.
The so-called alternative retail channel, including fashion stores, boutiques, supermarkets and shoe stores, accounted for 16 percent or €812 million of the sector's total sales in 2010. The vertical retail channel, including internet and outlet stores, represents only 6 percent or €344 million of total sales.
By category, sports apparel accounted for 44.41 percent of total sales, sports shoes for 35.87 percent, balls for 1.05 percent, racquets for 1.72 percent, ski materials for 2.06 percent and sports accessories for 9.27 percent in 2010. Other product categories made 5.61 percent of the 2010 total. Withint the apparel category, urban sport collections are an upcoming trend for the Spanish textile sector, as sporting clothes and accessories that are also suitable for general use gain more and more popularity.
By value, athletic shoes accounted for €547 million of total sales, sports apparel for €677 million, balls for €16 million, racquets for €26 million, ski gear for €31 million, sports accessories for €141 million and other product categories account for €85 million of total sales. The sales volume of these product categories is altogether about €1,525 million.
Most revenues came from the leisure sports sector, with 60.19 percent of the total sales volume recorded by the Spanish sporting goods industry in 2010. Leisure sports include product categories such as sportswear and urban sport collections. Football made up 7.85 percent of the total sales volume, ski and snowboard 6.78 percent, athletics and running 4.45 percent, tennis and paddle tennis 4.37 percent, mountaineering 4.06 percent, surfing 2.36 percent, skateboarding 1.33 percent, cycling 1.20 percent, watersports 1.16 percent and other sport categories 6.25 percent of the total sales volume.
The number of Spanish sporting goods companies has been stable over the past decade. Companies that promote only their proper Spanish brand account for 30 percent of all companies in the Spanish sporting goods industry. Fifty-two percent of all companies in the sporting goods sector only import of international brands, and 18 percent combine both business models.
Cataluña remains the region with most sporting goods companies, followed by Madrid and Valencia. Forty-one percent of all sporting goods companies in Spain are in Cataluña, 12.77 percent in Madrid and 12.65 percent in Valencia.
The amount of points of sales in Spain grew slightly from 6,279 in 2009 to 6,299 in 2010. Among the total, 4,901 stores are multi-sport stores. Cataluña, Andalucía and Madrid remain the regions with the most points of sale, with 1,065, 1,007 and 635 stores respectively.
Altogether, 69,338 people were employed in the Spanish sporting goods industry in 2010 – 23,161 in the supply sector, and 46,177 in the commercial sector.
