Matalan ups sports offer

Value retailer Matalan has launched branded sportswear shop-in-shops in a bid to capitalise on growing sales of its own-label sports ranges.

Matalan will roll out the 1,200sq ft sports areas, which sell brands such as Slazenger, Umbro, Everlast and Head, to 84 stores and plans to add more brands, including Le Tigre and Juice, by the end of the month.

Matalan hopes to generate annual sales in excess of £20 million from the new men's and women's sportswear offer.

The roll-out will also boost the coffers of discount sports chain Sports Direct, which owns and wholesales the Slazenger and Everlast labels, but will also compete head on with the discount chain and rival JJB Sports because of Matalan's out-of-town locations.

Matalan chief executive Alistair McGeorge said: "We have a strong heritage in sportswear, from our own labels to grey-market goods, so we wanted to give our customers more of what they wanted."

Adverts will run in national and local media to promote the sportswear offer.