Sport & Leisure
Sport & Leisure covers the business performance, product innovation, and consumer trends driving the UK’s sports, fitness, and leisure retail sectors. This section reports on brand strategy, partnerships, sustainability, and digital engagement across apparel, equipment, and lifestyle categories. Retail Sector’s Sport & Leisure coverage provides insight for retailers, suppliers, and brand managers into how evolving health trends, technology, and consumer behaviour are shaping growth and competition in this dynamic market.
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Mar- 2018 -14 March
Adidas reports double digit growth across all ‘key’ regions
Sports retail giant Adidas has reported double-digit growth across all of its key regions over the last year, with sales in Western Europe rising 12.6% to £5.23bn. Overall net sales increased 14.8% to £18.8bn while gross profits rose 17.6% to £8.96bn. Adidas attributed the figures to growth in “key strategic…
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Feb- 2018 -28 February
Maplin and Toys R Us go into administration
Toys R Us and Maplin have both entered administration today, as last minute attempts to save the retailers collapsed. Toys R Us was facing a £15m VAT bill, however poor sales has meant it was unable to pay the debt. All of toy retailer’s 106 stores will continue to trade…
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28 February
Maplin and Toys R Us set to go bust today
Maplin and Toys R Us are reportedly facing collapse today (28 February) after failing to secure buyers. Maplin employs 2,500 staff across its 200 stores in the UK, while Toys R Us employs 3000 staff in its 106 stores. The American owner of Toys R Us filed for bankruptcy last…
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19 February
Church of England slams Sports Direct over treatment of staff
The Church of England has criticised Sports Direct founder, Mike Ashley, over his company’s “Victorian factory” working conditions. In a series of letters seen by the Press Association, the Church Commissioners – a group which manages the church’s £79bn investment fund – condemned the retail boss amid a series of…
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1 February
JD Sports completes Sport Zone acquisition
JD Sports has announced that it has received unconditional clearance from the European Commission to acquire similar Spanish retailer Sport Zone. Sport Zone is one of the largest sports retailers in the Iberia area and consists of 94 stores in Portugal and 46 in Spain, including 20 in the Canary…
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Jan- 2018 -16 January
JD Sports raises profit forecast after strong Christmas
Sportswear and outdoor retailer, JD Sports, has raised its annual profit forecast after continuing a strong performance through the second half of 2017 with an “encouraging” Christmas period. Group profit before tax for the year to February 3 is expected to reach £300m, ahead of analyst expectations of £270m –…
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