New retail concept for Sport 2002

French sporting goods buying group Sport 2000 France SA, revealed plans to start with a new retail concept in order to better compete with France's market leader Decathlon. The group said that the new concept will focus on stores in city centres offering fashion-forward shoes and clothing.

A chain of stores, selling space between 50 and 150 sqr metres, will sell lifestyle and sports shoes and another one, 200 sqr metres and up, will offer both shoes and clothing as well as a limited range of sports equipment. The first smaller only-shoe store will open in Montelimar on 4 April.

The move comes as part of Sport 2000's strategy to stand out against Decathlon, which started with a city store concept by the name of Decat one year ago. The new concept aims cities with at least 22,000 inhabitants and may be extended to other European countries.