Reliance Retail could soon launch large scale athleisure stores under new brand

Reliance Industries Limited’s Reliance Retail is mulling launching a large scale athleisure retail concept under a new brand name to further tap into the fast growing product category and compete with large global corporations increasingly entering the Indian market in the sector.

“While Reliance Retail has expanded a lot in the last few years, sports is something which was missing from the portfolio,” an anonymous source close to the development told ET Bureau. “India also needs a retailer in the sports category who can compete with global giants. The category has shown a lot of growth and is expected to grow further.”
 
As part of this development, Reliance Retail is carrying out talks to lease spaces in Indian malls and on high streets measuring between 8,000 and 10,000 square feet, the Economic Times reported. The business would focus on large cities for its initial roll out.
 
Sports wear and accessories have continued to increase in popularity in India since the pandemic fuelled a new interest in health, particularly amongst the urban middle class. French sports apparel and gear business Decathlon has expanded swiftly in India to capture some of this market and today counts large scale stores in the majority of India’s large cities with over 100 stores in 19 states, according to its website.