UK outdoor sector is on the up
According to the Outdoor Industries Association (OIA), UK outdoor clothing and equipment companies have reported a very strong start to 2010, helped by the prolonged winter weather.
Ken Reeve, buying and merchandising director for retailer Cotswold Outdoor, comments: “Trading has been excellent with the arrival of the cold weather, with all locations showing good increases. We have seen significant growth on cold weather clothing items including hats, gloves, fleece and down as customers look for proper outdoor kit to protect themselves against the cold. For the more active customers, sales of ice related products, such as crampons, ice axes and sledges, have also been very strong.”
Geoff Thomson, buying director at Scottish outdoor retailer Tiso Group says: "We have seen very strong trading over the last few weeks. Overall, our sales were up 12% in December, which was largely in part to the cold weather conditions and snow that we have been experiencing. We also found that consumers didn’t hold off this year in the run up to Christmas. It felt much more like a traditional festive shopping pattern.
“We have seen significant sales of hats and gloves, obviously, and boots and wellies are up by about 50% thanks to the snow. It probably goes without saying that sledges have sold out, while winter clothing and jacket sales are also up by 25%, which is very encouraging.”
Meanwhile, Mark Brigham of outdoor retailer Ellis Brigham reports: “The weather has helped sales. A combination of cold weather and Christmas presents ensured that we had a pleasing end to what had been a slow few months. Unsurprisingly, most interest has been in winter essentials such as gloves, hats, socks, down jackets, thermal underwear and hand warmers.”
Outdoor clothing company Regatta saw turnover rise more than 30% in December compared with December 2008. Bestselling Regatta products included waterproof insulated jackets, fleece products, over-trousers, waterproof shell jackets, hats and scarves, socks, gloves, base layer, boots and soft shell jackets.
