News

BIKE EUROPE: MAARSSEN, Netherlands (June 7) - Groupe Go Sport improved its sales dramatically in the 1st quarter of 2005. Total sales rose by 14.9% to € 159.51 million. France was responsible for 14.2%, while Poland and Belgium scored a staggering 24.4% to €12.47 million. The Courir and Moviesport stores made good their bad performance in 2004, by climbing 26.5% over the first quarter. In Spain, Decathlon has become the largest sporting goods retailer, as sales grew by 34% to € 480 million before VAT. El Corte Inglès, the Spanish chain store only grew some 5.7% to € 432.4 million. The total Spanish sports market is € 4,355 million and grew 5.6% according to Sport Panel. Decathlon is also growing fast in Italy, where a 36% sales increase was made. A striking detail is that El Corte Inglès is also looking into that market, and is currently scouting for a location for its first shop in Rome. .