Industry: Analysis


and the sales this fall/winter season are up more than 36 per cent in the UK.”


Haglöfs UK country manager Peter Rostron adds: “It’s fantastic weather; it’s good for retailers so long may it continue. “Some retailers told me they had weeks in early December as busy as the week before Christmas. The same happened last year when there was flooding and snow. “What this shows is that what matters most to retailers isn’t necessarily the economic situation but what falls out of the sky. The weather is in their favour right now, and we’re seeing an increasing trend for consumers to buy outdoor clothing, which will


continue and be replicated in the fashion industry


and on the high street.”


Columbia Sportswear’s UK & Ireland country manager Dan Trapp says it was rushed off its feet with orders following the upturn in business, and that the trend towards outdoor clothing is one of the reasons it has invested in developing cutting-edge products for future


winter seasons, such as its autumn/winter 2011 collection (see pages 18-19).


The Outdoor Industries Association (OIA) and the Snowsport Industries of Great Britain (SIGB) both recorded positivity amongst their retail members as the cold snap hit.


OIA says large and small retailers alike have benefited from improved sales, with insulated jackets, fleeces, hats and gloves notable big sellers. SIGB said retailers in Scotland were the biggest winners from early snowfall, particularly those servicing the Scottish ski industry.


A spokesperson for Craigdon Mountain Sports says: “People are buying everything for winter and the weather isn’t keeping them away. They are turning up at the shops on skis and


buying more.” Rab Ferrell of Nevisport, which has stores located in Scotland and England, says: “A second consecutive year of


early snow and cold weather has provided a much needed shot in the arm for the outdoor and ski clothing markets, with insulated jackets and accessories seeing a welcome increase in sales.”


Steve Wells, of Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports, also with stores north and south of the border, adds: “The reminder of last season’s cold weather, at an early stage of winter, is convincing everybody that buying winter items is the thing to do right now.” Other SIGB members reported strong sales of boots, although some voiced their concern that adverse weather may keep


consumers out of shops.


Simon Millet, managing


director of Millet Sports, which stocks a range of walking boots and baselayers for sale online and through its London store, says footfall in its store was slow during the worst


weather as shoppers struggled to reach the high street, but online sales boomed, similar to the experience of Berghaus. Millet says his business even had trouble getting stock from some brands, such has been the demand for products this winter. “This weather is good for the outdoor industry,” says Millet.


16


www.sgboutdoor.co.uk


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26