Sainsbury’s is further expanding its online sportswear collection with the addition of classic American brand Russell Athletic.
More than 63 items of men’s and women’s clothing and nine men’s accessories are now available on the Tu clothing site.
Prices will range from £6 for men’s socks to £28 for a zip-up jacket and £30 for women’s performance activewear pieces.
Sainsbury’s will be the third major UK retailer to stock the brand, alongside Asos and Topshop.
The addition of Russell Athletic, described as “classic vintage styling” and favoured by US athletes, is part of Sainsbury’s drive to tap into the £7bn and growing UK athleisure market.
The supermarket first ventured into the category last summer with the launch of sportswear brand Admiral Performance in 170 Sainsbury’s stores and online.
Its parent brand Admiral gained an initial listing with Sainsbury’s in 2015 in 100 stores. Since then, it has extended the collection to 170 stores and registered sales growth of 155% compared with the launch.
“Sainsbury’s clothing business is quickly becoming a destination fashion brand, growing strongly over recent years and continuing to gain market share,” said Sainsbury’s commercial director James Brown. “Russell Athletic shares our approach to great quality at fantastic value and we are delighted to be able to offer our customers its iconic sportswear. Admiral has proved successful on menswear and we are sure that both our male and female customers will love this new range.”
Over the past two years, Sainsbury’s Tu clothing has registered growth of 15% to become the UK’s sixth-biggest clothing retailer by volume and 10th by value.
Supermarket brands such as Tu, F&F and George account for £1 in every £10 spent on clothing in the UK, according to Kantar Worldpanel.
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