Global retail sports brand Decathlon has launched its new purpose which it says is to “Move People Through the Wonders of Sport.” The retailer has 19 stores in Canada after entering the country in 2018, and all locations will be renovated as part of the initiative.
The company, in a news release on Tuesday, said the strategy behind its new initiative is to bring innovative and sustainable sport to everyone.
“Today marks a very special moment in both the history and future of Decathlon. Now more than ever, the world needs sport. It has a unifying power, and can improve both physical and mental health,” said Barbara Martin-Coppola, Decathlon’s Global Chief Executive Officer, in a statement.
“At Decathlon, we want to have a greater positive impact on humans, society and the planet by Moving People Through the Wonders of Sport. I am proud to be working towards the North Star – our guiding light and ambition – with our teammates.
“It’s been incredible to see our diverse community come together to celebrate what makes us special: enabling everyone to practice sport on their own terms. I am confident that our ambitious strategy, evolving our way of doing business, will ensure Decathlon leads the sector as a unique and trusted sports brand.”
The company said it is unveiling a new brand, which includes “a dynamic and forward-looking identity and the new “orbit” logo.”
Decathlon, which began in 1976, has about 1,700 stores worldwide. Of its 19 stores in Canada, eight are in Quebec, seven are in Ontario, one in Halifax, and two are in Alberta. A pop-up at Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby, near Vancouver, will be replaced with the new brand concept in a store opening this spring spanning about 38,000 square feet. A new Decathlon store is also opening this spring in Chicoutimi, Quebec.
“Since the beginning of its journey in 1976, Decathlon has always believed in sports’ vital role in helping societies to be healthier and happier. And today, people need sport more than ever,” said the company. “At the beginning of this transformation journey, Decathlon wrote its “North Star”, a long-term ambition to accelerate its mission for the good of societies and the planet. Guided by the North Star, a new purpose was born: Move People Through the Wonders of Sport.
“Anchored to this purpose, Decathlon is adopting an ambitious global strategy, which encompasses an enhanced customer experience, a strong commitment to sustainability and an overall modernisation of the company. Core to the customer experience is an evolved brand introduced today.”
Decathlon said the new brand identity reflects the brand’s ambition while celebrating its past.
“Along with a dynamic blue, it now welcomes a new brand icon – “the Orbit” – expressing movement, the ambition to reach new heights, and circularity, at the heart of Decathlon’s sustainable business model,” it said.
That Orbit logo will be incorporated into the new Metropolis at Metrotown store, which will be the first in Canada to showcase the brand refresh.
“Decathlon is unleashing the full potential of the brand to bring sport to everyone through a new and simplified brand portfolio with nine category specialists: Quechua (mountain), Tribord (water and wind), Rockrider (outdoor cycling), Domyos (fitness), Kuikma (racket), Kipsta (team sports), Caperlan (wildlife), Btwin (urban gliding and mobility) and Inesis (target), and 4 expert brands: Van Rysel, Simond, Kiprun and Solognac.”
Philippe Gariépy, Brand Marketing Manager for Decathlon Canada, said the company needs to shift what people perceive it to be.
“Our aim in redefining our company’s direction is to establish ourselves as a notable sports brand. Until now, Decathlon has been perceived primarily as a sports store, similar to other sports retailers across the country that resell sports equipment. However, akin to renowned sports brands, we design, manufacture, and sell our own products, which are created by deeply passionate sports teammates. Only 20% of those who know us are aware of this aspect, a figure that’s understandable considering our relatively recent introduction to this market.
“Our goal is to have a meaningful connection with our customers that extends beyond the act of transaction. This is the reason behind our brand’s current evolution, an evolution that will be translated across all our touchpoints.”
Gariépy said the upcoming new store in Vancouver will have the new identity and new customer experience.
“We’d like to challenge the typical Decathlon concept: big box, mass merchandising and long aisles. We’re currently testing several avenues, some of which have a more boutique look that does justice to the quality of our products. We want to offer a shopping experience that’s tailored to the sporting needs of our communities. In the future, we may open stores with a more specific offer around a group of sports and activities. The first store we’ll open on the new identity is in Vancouver (April 2024).”
Decathlon has also committed to becoming Net Zero by 2050.
Its decarbonization targets are (scopes 1, 2 & 3):
● 20 per cent reduction in absolute CO2 emissions in 2026.
● 42 per cent reduction in absolute CO2 emissions in 2030 and net zero by 2050.
“Decathlon is working hand in hand with suppliers and partners to unlock sustainability all across the supply chain. With this collaborative approach, Decathlon has been working with suppliers to decarbonise processes and pave the way for new business models based on circularity and increased product life cycles. This also means that across the product range, Decathlon is increasing product lifespans and enabling customers to reuse, repair and recycle their products,” said the retailer.
The company said it is also harnessing the power of digital with a global revamp of the ecommerce website to provide a seamless shopping experience for customers anytime, anywhere. Decathlon has local ecommerce operations for Canada which were established shortly after its Canadian entry about six years ago.
“Decathlon’s digital supply chain has been rethought with the best-in class tools and AI algorithms to enable accurate forecasting, assortment planning and stock parameters. This has already led to significant reductions in stock levels and many improvements, including decreasing transportation costs, carbon footprint and delivery time,” said the retailer.
“Decathlon is also breaking ground with new ways to embark its customers on an immersive experience, including its 3D Shopping App on Apple Vision Pro in the U.S. More than 1,700 stores around the world will be refurbished with a whole new setup, offering customers intuitive navigation, increased product visibility, engaging physical and digital displays, and an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere. The forthcoming opening of the Vancouver Metropolis at Metrotown store, the first in British Columbia, will embody this bold new identity and revamped experience.”
