The success of Chilean footballers in European soccer leagues has led to an evident increase in the purchase of expensive pieces of sports clothing, particularly outdoor sportswear, in the Latin American nation of Chile, according to a report released by Euromonitor International. Thanks to the growing popularity of the game, wearing a Columbia, The North Face or Marmot jacket has now become a part of the everyday wear among the Chileans, says the study.
Looking at the popularity of the sport in the country, sports brands have started to build alliances with Chilean footballers to create a new image of sportswear – one which is a fusion of brand attributes with that of the sportsperson.
This has resulted in the increase in purchase of sportswear. The country report titled “Apparel in Chile” states that in the last five years till 2012, data from the National Institute of Statistics show that Chile has experienced an average annual deflation of six percent in apparel products. However, despite the deflationary trend, the market value of apparel in Chile has not decreased, but is continuing to increase. The report further says that lower prices and positive macroeconomic conditions have encouraged consumers in Chile to increase their expenditure on clothing, making it one of the countries with high per capita expenditure on clothing.
The rise in number of hypermarkets, shopping centers and department stores in Chile make it convenient for Chilean customers to purchase apparel products in a simple and fast way. Together with hypermarkets, outlet discount stores are becoming a popular way to buy premium and super premium products from brands like Calvin Klein, The North Face, Tommy Hilfiger and Zara who have their own stores in the discount shopping centers.
According to the report, Chile’s current trend of apparel price deflation is expected to continue over the coming years, and consumers’ per capita expenditure is expected to increase due to a steady increase in GDP per capita.
Hence, the report concludes that Chile’s apparel market might welcome high-fashion clothing in the near future. In fact, H&M has recently announced its plan to enter the Chilean market.
