The European Union’s trade in sports equipment, spanning items from water sports gear to athletic apparel, has witnessed a remarkable surge. According to Eurostat figures from 2022, the EU’s exports for these goods reached a commendable €7.5 billion, a 10.9% uptick from the previous year’s €6.7 billion.
A deep dive into the categories shows that the EU’s top exports revolve around “water sports vessels and equipment”, “gymnastic, athletics, and swimming gear”, and “sports footwear”. Together, these categories constituted an impressive 62.4% of the sports goods exported. Break it down and you find “water sports vessels and equipment” taking the lead at 28.2%, closely followed by “gymnastic, athletics, and swimming gear” at 20.7% and “sports footwear” wrapping up the top three at 13.5%.
On the flip side, imports have been robust as well, with the EU spending a whopping €14.3 billion in 2022, a 17.6% increase from 2021’s €12.2 billion. Delving into specifics, the lion’s share of imports is dominated by “sports footwear” at 28.8%, trailed by “gymnastic, sports and swimming equipment” at 25.9%. “Bicycles”, a perennial favourite, accounted for 9.5%.
Looking at trade partners, the United States topped the chart for European exports, absorbing 24.5% of the total, followed by the UK at 14.1% and Switzerland at 12.9%. These three alone constituted a formidable 51.5% of all EU sports goods exports, with Norway and Turkey rounding off the top five at 7.3% and 4.8%, respectively.
But who’s supplying Europe with all this sports gear? China remains the leading importer, contributing a staggering 46.9% to the EU’s sports equipment purchases, a mild increment from 2021. Not far behind, Vietnam contributed 16.1%, followed by Indonesia (6.3%), Cambodia (4.7%), and Taiwan (4.4%).
In summary, the EU’s burgeoning demand and impressive export growth in sports equipment showcase a sector brimming with dynamism, interconnected global supply chains, and a hint of the prevailing sporting trends across the continent.