JD Sports’ UK sales have slipped in the first half of 2026, as the sportswear giant battled weak consumer demand, footwear product cycle headwinds and a heavily promotional market.

The retailer said UK revenues fell to £1.44bn in the 26 weeks to 01 August, with like-for-like sales down 1.4 per cent. The performance was stronger than North America and Europe, where like-for-like sales dropped 4 per cent and 3.3 per cent respectively, while Asia Pacific rose 3 per cent.

Across the group, sales dipped 0.7 per cent to £5.9bn, or 0.8 per cent at constant exchange rates. Like-for-like sales fell 2.8 per cent.

However, online sales grew 5.2 per cent as new ecommerce platforms went live in the UK and Ireland. JD said digital now accounts for 20 per cent of group sales.

Profitability also came under pressure, with gross margin easing to 46.8 per cent from 47 per cent. Operating profit before adjusting items dropped 20.5 per cent to £294m, while profit before tax and adjusting items fell 19.7 per cent to £282m.

Statutory profit before tax jumped 74.6 per cent to £241m, helped by a sharp fall in net finance expenses to £73m from £251m a year earlier.

Chief executive Régis Schultz described the results as “a resilient performance against a challenging backdrop of consumer cost-of-living pressures, footwear product cycle headwinds and a highly promotional market”.

He said the business remained focused on “controlling the controllables”, progressing its strategy while maintaining cost and capital discipline. JD kept its full-year guidance unchanged, with profit before tax and adjusting items expected to land between £700m and £800m.

In the UK, JD pointed to progress on its “bigger and better” store strategy, including new flagship openings in Cardiff and Sheffield. The retailer has been investing in larger-format shops as it upsizes existing locations and opens bigger spaces, despite reducing overall store numbers year-on-year.

The group also said its UK Outdoor business “continues to simplify and strengthen”, with its store footprint being optimised, product ranges refreshed, a Shopify ecommerce re-platform completed and distribution centre consolidation delivered.

Footwear remained the largest category, accounting for 60 per cent of group sales compared with 62 per cent a year earlier, as JD works through a “significant shift” in the global footwear product cycle. Apparel and accessories were a brighter spot, rising 4 per cent and increasing to 36 per cent of group sales.

Schultz said JD had broadened its product proposition, with “strong momentum” in performance-based running and newer footwear styles. He added that JD Status had surpassed 10 million active loyalty customers globally.

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