D. Tighe
Research expert covering consumer behavior, sporting goods retail, and the global toy industry.
Sports and fitness equipment in Europe - statistics & facts
Over the years, the European sporting goods industry has done well for itself: in Germany, for instance, net revenues of the sporting goods retail sector have more than tripled since 2005. Similar trends have been recorded for other large countries in Europe, including, but not limited to Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom (UK). When discussing sporting goods, consumers often think of sports apparel and athletic footwear, however, the term also encompasses equipment and gear for the purposes of exercise, sports, and fitness.
Although consumers and retailers may be quick to dismiss such products as a fad, that may not be the case. As it stands, the average revenue per customer within the global digital fitness and well-being industry (which includes fitness trackers and devices) is expected to grow from about 35 U.S. dollars per unit in 2023 to roughly 40 dollars in 2029.
International trade
When it comes to physical exercise, gymnastics, athletics, and other sports articles and equipment, Germany is one of Europe’s leading importers. In 2023, the country imported around 1.4 billion euros’ worth of these kinds of goods. One year earlier, that figure reached over two billion euros. By comparison, the import value of exercise articles and equipment stood at approximately one billion British pounds (or an estimated 1.2 billion euros) for the UK in 2023. With a trade value of over one billion euros each that year, Germany and the Netherlands were the leading exporters of physical exercise, gymnastics, athletics, and related sports equipment in Western Europe.Wearable fitness devices
In recent years, eHealth trackers and smart watches, which can help users along their healthier lifestyle journeys, have also become very popular. In fact, over a third of survey respondents in Germany and the UK said they personally used wearables in 2024. Given this craze, many companies and brands, e.g., Fitbit, Garmin, and Samsung, have tried to dominate said market. As of 2024, the Apple Watch was the most commonly used eHealth tracker and smart watch in France.Although consumers and retailers may be quick to dismiss such products as a fad, that may not be the case. As it stands, the average revenue per customer within the global digital fitness and well-being industry (which includes fitness trackers and devices) is expected to grow from about 35 U.S. dollars per unit in 2023 to roughly 40 dollars in 2029.
