The China Leather Industry Association notes in a press release that national sports brands are reducing the number of new store openings and reviewing their product strategies as big international brands such as Adidas and Nike are expanding at retail into second- and third-tier cities and rural areas. For example, 361 Degrees cut down to 55 the number of new store openings in the fourth quarter of its last financial year. Xtep is reducing them to 400 this year from 1,000 in 2011, and Peak is trimming them down to 7,000 from 7,806. According to the association, inflation and other factors are leading Chinese consumers to prefer to buy products offered by international brands at a discount. Senior reporters of SGI Europe are planning to interview several sports industry executives in Beijing and Shanghai in the next weeks in order to clarify the situation in this important market, while adding some more analysis on market penetration in the so-called BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).

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