Sneak Peek - sales of athletic shoes - Brief Article

Brandweek, July 2, 2001 by Alissa A. Nolan

Whether it's casual Friday, sporty Saturday or sit-around-the-set Super Bowl Sunday, people want their sneakers: Market researcher Mintel found that 8 out of 10 Americans own at least one pair of athletic shoes. But that does not necessarily mean these sneaks are getting the same degree of workout.

After all, simply buying and donning performance gear does not make one an athlete. Nearly 30% of respondents wear their kicks just for kicks--not as a get-up to participate in any sport. Another 56% wear them for both athletic and casual pursuits and a meager 15% reserve their gym shoes for the gym.

The dress-down trend has been less than ideal, however, for makers of athletic shoes. Respondents who reach for khakis as casual wear say they prefer to complete the look with brown shoes of the Timberland, Lugz and Rockport variety. Mintel's Athletic Shoes Market report pegged category sales at $13.3 billion last year. This figure includes shoes specifically made for basketball, running/jogging, walking, cross training and tennis.

While athletic shoes lost market share to brown shoes in 1998 and 1999, they rebounded somewhat last year. Sneaker sales jumped 4.5% in 2000, Mintel says.