Snowsports hardware sales continue to fall
22 Oct 2008

Snowsports hardware retail sales for the 2007/08 season were £37.5 million, according to the seventh annual snowsports hardware survey from the Snowsports Industry of Great Britain (SIGB).

Whilst ski hardware saw small dip of 3% down year on year, snowboard sales were down 13% and snowboard boots 12% compared to 2006/07.

Boots continue to be the strongest selling item, with 67,327 pairs sold in the UK last season but that's still a drop of the previous year when 69.377 units were sold in the UK.

The relative strength of boot sales, despite the overall drop in numbers, is highlighted by the fact that average prices were up year on year by 14% for ski boots and 5% for snowboard boots whereas, skis (-10), snowboards (-15) saw volume sales decrease, despite price average prices for each decreasing. This combination of relatively strong volume, and increases in prices was enough to lift the ski market's total sales value by 14% last season, while in contrast the snowboard market experienced a 27% drop in value.

The overall sales decline is explained by the SIGB as being due to a combination of factors including a series of mild winters, ski/board levies on low cost carriers, improved rental offering in resorts and a general worsening on high street retail conditions generally.

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