Globally, sportswear is gaining momentum and is expected to outpace apparel and fashion, but Consumer Edge’s US debit card and credit card spending data showed that footwear and athletic apparel have continued to underperform the broader apparel, accessories and footwear industry in ****, losing nearly *** basis points of spending share year to date.
On the US side, Michael Gunther, SVP, research and market intelligence at Consumer Edge, noted that this is not a new trend and the category has underperformed the broader industry in every quarter since the beginning of ****. “Still, the gap has widened in the third quarter of ****,” he said. Consumer Edge’s data tracks direct-to-consumer purchases and excludes wholesale revenue.
However, according to Euromonitor International, regionally, the global sportswear landscape is becoming more imbalanced, and Asia Pacific (APAC) is expected to be the fastest-growing market through ****, driven by rising incomes, expanding middle classes and digital retail integration.
