Clarks vs Sports Direct:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Sports Direct had more branded searches than Clarks among shoe retailers in the United Kingdom. Sports Direct had about 3.4 million branded searches, while Clarks had 450,000. Sports Direct made up 51.8% of all shoe retailer searches we track, and Clarks accounted for 7%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about shoe retailers, Clarks and Sports Direct each appeared in two of the four answers. Sports Direct was mentioned before Clarks in two out of three answers that named either.
Who do people search for more?
Sports Direct, about 7 searches for every 1 for Clarks
Who does AI mention more?
Both were mentioned in 2 of 4 answers.
Who does AI recommend more?
Sports Direct, named ahead of Clarks in 2 of 3 answers
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Top shoe retailers in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, Clarks and Sports Direct were each mentioned in two out of four: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in the Google AI Overview. Sports Direct was listed before Clarks in two out of three answers that named either.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
schuh1st
JD Sports2nd
Office3rd- Sports Direct4th
Clarks5th
Foot Locker6th
Kurt Geiger–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- schuh4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- JD Sports3 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Office3 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- Sports Direct2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Clarks2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Foot Locker2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Kurt Geiger0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
See every answer about shoe retailers
4 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Where should I buy shoes and trainers in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best shoe shops in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which UK shoe shop has the best range of trainers?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“shoe shops”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“shoes”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United Kingdom on October 22, 2026.
Is Clarks or Sports Direct more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Clarks and Sports Direct by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven shoe retailers we track, month by month, from searches in United Kingdom.
Share of searches by month for Sports Direct, Clarks. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Sports Direct | JD Sports | schuh | Clarks | Foot Locker | Office | Kurt Geiger |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 47.4% | 25.9% | 9.5% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 2.8% | 1.6% |
| Nov 2025 | 43.7% | 29.3% | 10.7% | 4.8% | 7.2% | 2.6% | 1.8% |
| Dec 2025 | 41.5% | 34% | 10.2% | 4.6% | 5.6% | 2.5% | 1.7% |
| Jan 2026 | 50.2% | 22.5% | 10.1% | 6.7% | 5.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Feb 2026 | 51.2% | 22.8% | 8.4% | 6.9% | 5.6% | 3.1% | 2.1% |
| Mar 2026 | 49.9% | 27.3% | 8.2% | 5.5% | 4.5% | 3% | 1.6% |
| Apr 2026 | 48.8% | 26.7% | 8% | 6.6% | 5.4% | 2.9% | 1.6% |
| May 2026 | 53.6% | 24% | 7.2% | 5.9% | 4.8% | 2.6% | 1.8% |
| Jun 2026 | 45.9% | 30.7% | 7.5% | 6.2% | 5% | 2.8% | 1.9% |
| Jul 2026 | 48% | 26.2% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 5.3% | 2.9% | 1.9% |
| Aug 2026 | 47.9% | 26.3% | 7.9% | 9.6% | 4.3% | 2.4% | 1.6% |
| Sep 2026 | 51.8% | 23.2% | 8.5% | 7% | 4.7% | 3.1% | 1.7% |
How has the Clarks and Sports Direct comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Sports Direct was ahead of Clarks in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Clarks’ share of searches among shoe retailers in the United Kingdom moved from 6.4% to 7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 450K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Sports Direct’s share of searches among shoe retailers in the United Kingdom moved from 47.4% to 51.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 3.4M.
How did search popularity change for United Kingdom shoe retailers in September 2026?
3 changes
In September 2026, schuh overtook Clarks to rank 3rd among shoe retailers in the United Kingdom, with 8.5% of the searches.
In September 2026, Sports Direct gained share of searches among shoe retailers in the United Kingdom, from 47.9% to 51.8%.
In September 2026, Clarks lost share of searches among shoe retailers in the United Kingdom, from 9.6% to 7%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Clarks’ and Sports Direct’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Clarks
1 branded search term
- clarks
Sports Direct
1 branded search term
- sports direct
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