The rise in popularity of running footwear isn’t about just athletic performance anymore.

While the sport of running has certainly grown as consumers seek a healthier lifestyle, they’re also “choosing everyday comfort even for shoes to just walk around and running shoes fit that bill,” said Beth Goldstein, Circana’s industry advisor for footwear and accessories, noting that the fashion element has also been a contributing factor.

Circana’s surveyed 1,000 consumers about their running preferences.

Forty-nine percent identified themselves as either the casual, moderate or serious runners, with 51 percent as non runners. Follow-up questions weren’t posed to the nonrunners but runners were asked about how often they ran. For those identifying themselves as runners, more than half said

See Full Page