Sales Booming at U.K.'s Largest Bicycle Retailer

Bloomberg just reported that bicycle sales are booming at Halfords, the United Kingdom's largest retail outlet for bicycles and car parts. Strong consumer demand for bicycles is driving the company's record profits. Sales are up 2.2%, and profit margins are up as well.

Cyclo-Commuters in London
Photo by Sara Richards

“Cycling is a good-news market,” David Wild, Halford’s chief executive officer, said in an interview with Bloomberg. “It’s in tune with health, sustainability, and the economy. We’re helping the move towards more cycling in the U.K.”

If sustainability and economic concerns are driving the growing demand for bicycles in the U.K., then we may have cause to hope that more British folks are opting to ride bicycles for their daily transportation needs. If London and Edinburgh join Amsterdam and Copenhagen in terms of becoming bicycle-oriented cities, then perhaps this trend will gain enough momentum to become a world-wide phenomenon.