Euromonitor International
January 2017
SPORTSWEAR IN MEXICO Passport I
Euromonitor International
SPORTSWEAR IN MEXICO Passport 1
SPORTSWEAR IN MEXICO
HEADLINES
Sportswear in Mexico increases by 10% in current value terms in 2016, to reach MXN82.3
billion
The category benefits from the increasing number of people interested in leading an active
lifestyle
Sports accessories and hosiery records the best performance with 14% value growth in 2016
adidas de Mexico leads sportswear in Mexico in 2016, with a 9% value share
Sportswear is set to post a value CAGR of 7% at constant 2016 prices in the forecast period,
to reach MXN112.9 billion in 2021.
TRENDS
Mexico currently reports obesity growth rates amongst the highest in the world, with seven out
of 10 adults being overweight or obese. The reasons for this trend are to be found in the high
consumption of fatty food and sugar-heavy drinks, a diet increasingly influenced by the US
fast food and super-sized food culture, and increasingly sedentary lifestyles. To fight this
dramatic trend, in 2012 the government and the Ministry of Health implemented the Estrategia
Nacional para la Prevencin y el Control del Sobrepeso, la Obesidad y la Diabetes (National
Strategy to Prevent and Control Overweight, Obesity and Diabetes), underpinned by a
national campaign under the slogan Chcate, mdete, muvete (Check, measure and move
yourself) This is aimed at increasing awareness amongst the population of the importance of
prevention, healthy nutrition and exercise. As a result, consumers are increasingly concerned
about health and wellness, driving sales of sportswear by 10% in current value terms in 2016,
to reach MXN82.3 billion.
The 2015 edition of the yearly survey Mdulo de Prctica Deportiva y Ejercicio (Module of
Sports Practice and Physical Exercise), conducted by the National Institute of Statistics,
INEGI, highlighted that 44% of the Mexican population aged 18 and above practises sport on
a regular basis; a percentage slightly below the 45% seen in 2014. Of these, 46% are women
and 54% are men, whilst the average time allocated to physical activity is 3 hours and 37
minutes per week. The same study highlights how the percentage of people practising sports
varies dramatically depending on age and education level: the most active segments are
people aged 18-24 and people with at least a high school education. The same study also
stresses that the main reason for most respondents to practise sports is health (60% of all
respondents), followed by image (20%) and entertainment (18%). As interest in sports grows,
consumers are increasingly interested in professionalising their sports experience with
sportswear apparel and footwear, driving the growth of the category.
In 2016, sports-inspired and performance apparel together accounted for a 95% share of
overall sales of sports apparel in Mexico, with both reporting 8% growth in current value
terms, to reach MXN14.4 billion and MXN8.4 billion respectively. Outdoor apparel
experienced more moderate 7% growth, to reach MXN1.1 billion. Given the increasing
interest in sportswear, casualwear and fitness, recent years saw an increasing number of
non-sports manufacturers making incursions into sportswear with sports-inspired apparel.
Football continues to be the most popular sport in Mexico, followed by boxing, baseball,
basketball and wrestling. As a result, amongst the most demanded sportswear garments are
football team jerseys, which can easily be purchased in sports goods stores and department
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networks, whilst trade sources indicate that only 3% of the Mexican population are members
of a fitness club/gym, providing opportunities for growth. The increasing popularity of activities
such as yoga, pilates, spinning, aerobics, weightlifting and martial arts is attracting new
members to gyms, and is driving the sales of the respective apparel categories. In recent
years the market saw an increasing number of gym options, especially in the mid- and low-
cost segments. The low-cost chain Snap Fitness, for instance, which started its operations in
Mexico in 2009, announced it would open 15-25 new gyms in 2016, with a total investment of
MXN100 million. Also, 9Round Fitness by US-based Lift Brands announced an investment of
MXN135 million over the next four years to open 90 new gyms across Mexico, in addition to
the 10 units to be opened by the end of 2016. In addition, over the last few years the
governments of major cities promoted the establishment of open-air gyms in public spaces
and parks, especially in lower-income neighbourhoods, to encourage the population to
exercise. In September 2015, for instance, the mayor of Mexico City, Miguel Angel Mancera,
announced the intention to establish 1,000 more open-air gyms over the coming years. As an
increasing number of people embraced fitness, sportswear sales benefited from the trend.
Although Mexicos climate and geography allow people to practice a wide range of outdoor
activities, except disciplines which require snow, only a limited number of people practice
outdoor sports on a regular basis. A number of locations offer areas to practice outdoor sports
such as hiking/trekking, climbing/mountaineering, canoeing, boating, mountain biking and trail
running. Domestic tourism saw a boom in recent years, triggering a greater interest in eco-
tourism and in practising outdoor activities. People who participate in outdoor activities on a
regular basis, tend, with time, to invest in special apparel and footwear. In recent years this
strengthened existing brands and prompted the arrival of new competitors, such as The North
Face and Columbia, amongst others.
Besides running, CrossFit gained increasing popularity in recent years, especially in major
cities across the country. An increasing number of gyms and fitness clubs offer the discipline,
and it is increasingly common to see in all neighbourhoods simple, open spaces set up just for
this purpose. Participants in CrossFit value having an instructor to provide them with a
routine, set up challenges, and often even give nutritional tips whilst also enjoying the social
aspect, as the discipline is usually practised in a group. Although CrossFit is an increasing
trend, it seems likely to be replaced in the coming years by new sports trends.
As an increasing number of people are embracing fitness and looking for comfort in their
everyday wear, the athleisure trend continues to strengthen, both amongst the younger and
middle-aged population. As a result, an increasing number of fast fashion brands are
including sportswear in their product portfolios Zara, H&M, Oysho and Old Navy are just few
examples whilst it is increasingly common to see women and men alike wearing sportswear
or sports-inspired clothing in their leisure time.
Sales of counterfeit products continue to be a significant issue in Mexico, despite the actions
taken by the government to tackle the problem. The latest estimates by the Mexican think-
tank CIDAC (Research Centre for Development) indicate that 70% of total counterfeit sales
come from apparel, footwear and accessories, and totalled MXN29.9 billion by the end of
2014. Amongst sportswear brands, Nike, Puma and adidas are the most affected, as there
were six million counterfeit versions of these brands seized in 2014.
Sports goods stores remained the main channel for sales of sportswear in 2016, accounting
for a 41% value share, followed by department stores with a 25% share. The increasing
interest in sportswear led leading department store Liverpool to announce it will strengthen its
sports business starting from Q4 2016 to offer an increasing product portfolio of products and
embrace new sports disciplines.
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Internet retailing recorded a 23% increase in value sales in 2016. The pure online retailer
specialised in sportswear, Netshoes, continues to be the leading competitor, and achieved
growth rates of over 100% in recent years. The companys leadership is largely due to the
operations of the official online stores of major football teams such as Amrica, Monterrey,
Pumas, Chivas and Cruz Azul, as well as sales of national football team products.
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
adidas de Mexico and Nike de Mexico continued to lead sportswear in 2016, with 9% and 7%
retail value shares respectively. Both their brands enjoy a long presence in the market and
high brand awareness, and are very aggressive in terms of marketing campaigns,
sponsorship and customer engagement. Nonetheless, in 2016 competitors such as Vans,
Reebok, Puma and Under Armour increased their activity to gain an increasing share of sales
through new product launches, as well as aggressive marketing campaigns.
Nike de Mexico saw the strongest increase in current value terms in 2016, with 21% growth.
Nikes above-average growth rate was mostly due to the decrease the company experienced
in 2015, due to an excess of inventory resulting from distribution centre issues in Mexico in
2014. Besides, the company continued its aggressive marketing campaigns to engage
customers practising different sports, the sponsorship of well-known Mexican athletes and
football players, as well as new product launches. Similar to 2015, also in 2016 Grupo Charly
reported a double-digit increase in current value terms in 2016, with 21% growth, mostly due
to the positive performance of its Skechers brand.
The adidas and Nike brands ranked first and second in 2016, each with a value share of 7%.
Both brands are top-of-mind for Mexican consumers when talking about sportswear, as they
appeal to the aspirational values of the middle-classes, and because they are perceived as
high quality. The leading position of adidas is mostly due to its leadership in footwear, which
in 2016 continued to experience momentum thanks to retro styles, aggressive marketing
campaigns aimed at consolidating its position in the Mexican market, sales of national football
team apparel and the constant launch of performance apparel and sports-inspired apparel
and footwear.
Although local sportswear brands are gaining a presence in sportswear, with more
sophisticated designs to compete against international leading brands with affordable prices,
they are far away from the leading international competitors in terms of sales.
The main outdoor sportswear brands in Mexico continue to be Merrell, The North Face,
Timberland and Keen. All these brands are very active in terms of marketing campaigns and
activities. In recent years, The North Face tailored its social media to the Mexican market by
launching the hashtag #NeverStopExploringMexico, whilst Merrell consolidated its network of
stores in major shopping centres, mostly in the centre of the country. Timberland continues to
engage in below-the-line activities and social media, using popular influencers to promote its
brand, especially amongst the younger audience.
Under Armour is the relatively newest player in sportswear, which experienced significant
growth over recent years, growing at a sustained double-digit rate. The company launched
aggressive marketing campaigns to strengthen brand awareness amongst Mexican
consumers, leveraging the sponsorship of the Cruz Azul football team, and athletes such as
taekwondo Olympic winner Maria Espinoza. It also supported its product launches with
aggressive marketing campaigns featuring advertisements, billboards at bus stops and social
media, amongst others. Amongst the most important launches of the year were the Charged
Bandit2 footwear line, the Cool Switch apparel line and its Youth line targeting children.
Supported by these initiatives, Under Armour posted a 15% increase in value sales in 2016.
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Some of the most prominent advertising campaigns in sportswear during 2016 were from
Nike, which had a presence through outdoor billboards, bus stops, magazine advertisements,
stickers in store windows and social media. Its Chilangos Sin Limites campaign, for
instance, saw some of the bus stations in Mexico City feature yellow and pink lighting, the
colours of the campaign. adidas opened a new flagship store focused on the adidas originals
product line, as well as limited editions. Reebok also continued to have a strong presence in
advertising, supporting specific sports such as CrossFit, yoga and combat, amongst others.
Besides continuing to promote the slogan be more human, the brand sponsored events of
the UFC, as well as the Hapi Yoga Retreat taking place in Tulum, Mexico. New Balance,
which is experiencing momentum in major urban areas, continued to sponsor marathons and
triathlons, whilst strengthening its local footprint through flagship stores. Puma, on the other
hand, continued to focus on football sponsorship, being the brand sponsoring the most
football teams in Mexico (Queretaro, Chivas de Guadalajara, Monterrey, Atlas and Santos).
The private label share in sportswear is negligible, due to the strong positions of leading
international players. Mexican consumers are extremely sensitive to brands; hence they
prefer to wear branded sports apparel and footwear.
PROSPECTS
Sportswear is expected to increase by a value CAGR of 7% at constant 2016 prices over the
forecast period, driven by the athleisure trend and the increasing interest in fitness and
sports. An increasing number of consumers are wearing sportswear and sports-inspired
apparel every day in their leisure time, driving the growth of the category. This trend will
continue to be underpinned by the governments efforts to fight increasing obesity levels
amongst the Mexican population, promoting exercise and installing free open-air gyms in
public spaces and parks.
The value CAGR expected over the forecast period is slightly lower than the CAGR seen in
the review period, slipping from 8% to 7%. The depreciation of the Mexican peso against the
US dollar is expected to trigger increases in retail prices, as most sports apparel and footwear
is imported. However, in order to offset the increase in the prices of imports and raw
materials, trade sources indicate that an increasing number of companies are evaluating local
options to source raw materials and manufacturing. This trend is confirmed by the opening of
a production plant of the Taiwanese textile company Tex Ray in Pnjamo, in the state of
Guanajuato, to produce fabrics and sportswear for brands such as Nike, adidas and Puma.
This plant is the second the company operates in Mexico and these are the only ones the
company owns in the Americas.
Potential threats to growth are mainly linked to overall economic uncertainty, caused by
economic growth below expectations, increasing inflation, which erodes consumers
purchasing power, as well as possible political instability in the wake of the US elections in
November 2016. Further exchange rate fluctuations may have a negative effect on prices
within the category.
Performance, sports-inspired and outdoor apparel are expected to post similar CAGRs over
the forecast period at constant 2016 prices, growing by 5%, 4% and 3% respectively. Growth
will be boosted by the launch of new products and the arrival of new competitors, as well as
higher retail prices due to adjustments due to the depreciation of the Mexican peso.
Potential company activity over the forecast period includes the launch of innovative products
with new technologies and more sophisticated designs. It is predicted that major
manufacturers will continue to invest strongly in marketing campaigns, with more activity likely
through social media, where they will target millennials, who represent over 25% of the
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population in Mexico. This consumer group prioritises active lifestyles, and is willing to spend
more on the brands they like. It is also expected that the most popular brands will continue to
invite international or domestic celebrities and designers to collaborate with them on special
collections, as these are very attractive to consumers in Mexico.
Recent years saw the boom of sports events in Mexico. Besides traditional football events,
recent years saw an increasing number of sports events taking place, such as marathons,
running events, triathlons and boxing, to mention just a few. In addition, Mexico saw the return
of Formula One to the country after a 23-year gap.
CATEGORY DATA
Table 1 Sales of Sportswear: Value 2011-2016
MXN million
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
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de CV
VF Outdoor Mxico SA de 4.6 4.5 4.1 4.1 4.1
CV
Grupo Charly 1.5 1.7 1.8 2.1 2.3
Grupo Converse de 2.4 2.3 2.0 2.0 1.9
Mxico SA de CV
Puma Mexico Sport SA de 1.6 1.5 1.3 1.3 1.3
CV
Wilson Sporting Goods 0.9 0.9 0.7 0.7 0.7
Co de Mexico SA de CV
Umbro Mexico 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2
Fila Mexico 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
Grupo Interpunto de - - - - -
Mexico SA de CV
Others 68.5 70.1 72.8 73.6 73.1
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Source: Euromonitor International from official statistics, trade associations, trade press, company research,
store checks, trade interviews, trade sources
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MXN million
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
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Footwear
Sportswear 82,333.5 87,718.4 93,479.0 99,599.3 106,074.8 112,925.2
Source: Euromonitor International from trade associations, trade press, company research, trade interviews,
trade sources
Euromonitor International