Sportswear in Chile

PROSPECTS

Increasing engagement in sporting activity boosting sales

Globally, the rise in consumer health-consciousness, underpinned by government initiatives, a media focus on health issues and constant access to the internet, is leading to a significant increase in consumer participation in regular exercise and sporting activity. This process is particularly pronounced in Chile as the government seeks to address one of the world’s most glaring obesity crises through moves such as strict new food labelling laws.

Sportswear increasingly used for everyday occasions

As well as driving demand for clothing for use in sporting activity, increasing participation in regular exercise is making consumers more familiar with sportswear and increasingly comfortable with using it for everyday occasions. Along with the prominent role of brands such as adidas and Nike in global youth clothing trends, which has become increasingly familiar to young Chileans through the internet, familiarity with sportswear is helping to drive the athleisure trend and the rise of sports-inspired clothing.

Counterfeiting a relatively minor problem

Counterfeit sportswear items, including t-shirts, footwear and jackets, can be found in certain areas of Santiago, such as the Persian market known as “Persa Bio-Bio”. These items generally enter the country without logos to avoid confiscation by the authorities and have them added afterwards.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Major global brands lead

adidas Chile and Nike de Chile remained the two largest players in sportswear in Chile in 2018, supported by their global status. These players also benefit from their deals with major football teams – adidas supplies the kit for Universidad de Chile in Santiago, while Nike has had a deal with the Chile National Team since 2015.

Forus sees strong growth across a range of brands

Forus was the fastest-growing company amongst the top five players in sportswear in 2018. The company’s Columbia, Merrell, Patagonia and Mountain Hardwear brands all saw double-digit value growth during the year as they benefited from the growing interest in regular exercise and activities such as trekking and mountaineering, as well as the increasingly regular use of such brands for everyday wear.

Diversification of the competitive landscape

The rise of the athleisure trend and the increasing prominence of sports-inspired clothing are set to lead to a diversification of the competitive landscape in the Chilean sportswear category during the forecast period. The ongoing expansion of fast fashion retailers such as H&M will provide a boost to this process, as fast fashion is a key area for the development of sports-inspired clothing beyond specialist sportswear brands.

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