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In the medium term, sales will grow “very positively” because the target groups have become “much broader” in terms of age and performance level. “And the mountain becomes younger and more feminine.” Around a quarter of sales in sports retailers are already generated from outdoor sporting goods. According to data from ARGE Outdoor, which was newly founded at the beginning of 2023, the outdoor industry generated around 596 million euros (-4 percent compared to the previous year) in sales to Austrian sports retailers from September 1, 2022 to August 31, 2023. Of this, 290 million euros went to clothing, 253 million euros to shoes and 90 million euros to accessories (including backpacks, climbing harnesses, ropes and poles). Since not all producers of outdoor sporting goods are members of ARGE Outdoor, a higher level of sales can be expected.
Climbing, ski touring and trail running are booming
Climbing, ski touring and trail running in particular are booming. With the increasing number of climbing and bouldering halls, climbing and bouldering has developed into a year-round sport, said the ARGE Outdoor spokeswoman. Sales of climbing shoes in Austria rose by 54 percent to 64,000 pairs in 2022/2023 and sales of trail running shoes rose by 7 percent to 367,000. The trail running shoes, originally designed for running off asphalt roads, are also often used for hiking and sometimes replace classic trekking and hiking shoes. In addition, around 57,000 touring ski boots and 44,000 PIN bindings as well as 1,500 touring bindings were sold in 2022/2023.
No more sales necessary
Sustainability is an increasingly important issue for manufacturers. According to Oberalp manager Andorfer, many outdoor brands “run through” large parts of their collection over several seasons. This means that retailers are not forced to sell these products. “It is the responsibility of the outdoor industry to produce products in a resource-saving and climate-friendly manner,” says Andorfer. There are numerous initiatives from trade and industry to promote climate protection.
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