Lacing up across Europe: How running and sports power our strategic growth

Autumn race season is in full swing. Fresh off the Copenhagen World Athletics Road Running Championships on 20 September, our focus shifts to Berlin, where the BMW BERLIN MARATHON takes over the capital on 27 September.

Lacing up together: From our desks to the starting line

Our team lives sports culture too. At the Berlin Marathon, leaders from across our business are taking to the streets. James Rothwell (SVP Marketing), Max Bankewitz (General Manager DACH), and Matt Glynn (Head of GTM, Sports) will tackle the 42.195 km course alongside members of our internal employee running club – the Zalando Run Club. 

Celebrating its one-year anniversary this September, the run club brings together up to 100 colleagues of all levels every week to test out the latest gear and run together. For many members, those weekly miles have built up to this very moment: training for and taking on the Berlin Marathon as a team.

Building Europe's leading sports destination

Sports is a major growth engine for Zalando. Over 85% of our customers work out weekly and running leads the charge as performance gear blends with street style.

"Sports culture across Europe is moving fast, and we are right there alongside our community," says Nina Graf-Vlachy, General Manager Sports. "Whether someone is training for their first 5K or chasing a marathon personal best, we want to give them direct access to specialist products, clear advice, and confidence they need."

Our running category is outracing the wider European market. We bring global headliners and technical specialist labels together in dedicated digital hubs. Inside our World of Running hub, runners can access Race Lab for independent technical evaluations of carbon-plate mechanics, foam density, and traction. Runners can also get smart AI gear advice and sync their Strava routes directly within the platform.

The strategy works. In 2021, 35% of running shoes sold on Zalando cost over €100. Today, that share is over 80%. 

Connecting race day passion to platform growth

Major race sponsorships connect real-world running culture directly to our store. Showing up where runners gather builds credibility and turns race energy into platform visits. 

Berlin Marathon is our flagship running partnership, alongside major races in Copenhagen, Rotterdam, Rome, Valencia and Zagreb. We tailor every stop. At the Copenhagen Half Marathon, we created a 230-meter music tunnel to push runners forward and built a roar-barometer to measure crowd noise. In Rotterdam, we set up cheering zones and post-race massage hubs.

In Berlin, our real-world activations focus on the Zalando RunZone on Kurfürstendamm. The space blends multi-brand footwear trials, expert panel discussions, and shake out runs with local crew leaders. Visitors can also take part in training and recovery  sessions, customise their race gear, and join Sunday’s official after-party. On race day, we bring maximum noise to our joint Zalando CheerZone with adidas at Nollendorfplatz at kilometre 36. These moments give life to our global brand campaign, "Run like a local".

The inspiration continues after the finish line. On 5 October, we will premiere our exclusive short documentary, "Why I Run", on Zalando and YouTube. Following three runners through the daily realities and personal challenges of marathon preparation, the film offers an intimate look at the determination it takes to reach the starting line.

A broader mandate across European sports

Running is a key focus of our multi-specialist strategy for Sports. We are also deepening our presence through football partnerships with the DFB and RBFA, and winter sports events like the LAAX Open. By uniting high-tech performance with style confidence, we are redefining how Europeans discover, shop and live an active life.