JJB boosts own-brand clothing ranges

Sports and fashion retailer JJB Sports is to ramp up its entry-level own-brand product, following increased competition from the value sector.

The retailer piloted a new own-brand children's surf-wear range in 50 stores last autumn, but underestimated the power of Asda and Tesco. JJB Sports finance director David Greenwood attributed the Christmas slump in like-for-like sales largely to a lack of cheaper opening price points in clothing, which accounts for about 40 per cent of group sales.

'We started to trial it in autumn/winter just gone, but we didn't buy enough. We will ramp up own-brand this spring,' said Greenwood.

The retailer plans to introduce new brand names in childrenswear, while maintaining market share in premium brands - such as Nike and Reebok - and secondary brands, including Umbro and Puma.

The new children's brands will be based on different themes such as 'urban' or basketball. Own-brand menswear and womenswear will also be boosted.

'We never like to use the word fashion, but a lot of our brands are aspirational. We need to greatly widen the product where we come up against the mainstream high street retailers,' said Greenwood.