John Lewis is relaunching its sports and wellbeing offer as part of a multimillion-pound investment, with new departments that bring sportswear, footwear, wearable technology, recovery, AI-powered fitness and expert services together in one location.
The retailer, part of the John Lewis Partnership group, says the move makes it the first UK retailer to offer this combination in a single shop. Peter Ruis, managing director of John Lewis, described the relaunch as an “important step” in its store investment plan.
First of its kind in UK retail
The new concept is intended to compete with sportswear specialists such as Sports Direct and technology-focused retailers. Departments will be up to around 5,000 square feet and are designed so shoppers can move easily between apparel, footwear, technology, home fitness and recovery.
The London Oxford Street store has already received the transformed sports department. Similar redevelopments are planned for Liverpool and Cheadle, along with a new department in Glasgow.
Brands on offer
The departments will feature sportswear brands including Nike, Brooks and Patagonia, alongside wearable technology from Garmin, Oura and Whoop. Recovery products from Therabody and premium home fitness equipment from Peloton, NordicTrack and Speediance will also be available.
Shoppers can use free gait analysis and other technology to help find the right footwear and products. The investment forms part of an £800 million cash injection from John Lewis into its 36 stores across the UK.
“Customers shop around a goal”
Peter Ruis said: “Customers increasingly shop around a goal rather than a traditional retail category. Whether someone’s training for their first marathon, taking up Hyrox or simply looking to live a healthier lifestyle, they want everything they need in one place.
“Our combination of leading brands, expert partners, nationwide shops and strong digital offer means we’re uniquely placed to support customers across every part of their fitness journey – from finding the right footwear and technical clothing to discovering the latest wearable technology, home fitness and recovery products.”
