The French sporting goods market grew by 3 percent to €9.6 billion in 2012, according to the French sporting goods retailers' federation (FPS), but specialty sporting goods retailers raised their own sales by 4 percent. Most of the growth took place in the first half of the year. The NPD Group has estimated that total sales of sports shoes and clothing rose by 4.5 percent and 2 percent in France, respectively. The estimates compiled by FPS include sales of all types of bicycles and cycling products, which fell last year by 4 percent to €1.2 billion, with the exception of e-commerce, in spite of an average increase of 4.5 percent in the price of bicycles. Further details could not be obtained at the time of going to press. Meanwhile, André-Pierre Doucet, who has been responsible for the statistical work of the association for many years, has announced his resignation at the end of this month to move into a job involving higher responsibilities. A former journalist, he has been with FPS, formerly called FNCASL, since 1992.

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