The football World Cup gave a major boost to the French market in the first half of this year and afterwards, says NPD, reporting a 3 percent increase in the total sales of sports shoes and apparel for the first six months of the year. In July, French consumers spent twice as much as much as a year ago on football shirts and balls, and 15 percent more on football boots. NPD's periodic French market survey shows increases of 4 percent in purchases of men's products and 7 percent in women's products in the first half of 2014, contrasting with a 7 percent drop in children's products. Women spent 20 percent more on sneakers. Sales of running products grew by 13 percent among women and by 16 percent among men. In the 12 months through June 2014, French men bought 30 percent more basketball products. Women spent 40 percent more on bicycles and more on yoga items to the detriment of aerobics and dancing.

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