2024-03-12 18:32:00
« Lthe world is changing […], it is time for Decathlon to accelerate. » It was with these words that the general director of the French group, Barbara Martin Coppola, presented the brand’s new strategic plan during a major “show” bringing together dancers and athletes, organized Tuesday March 12 in Paris, in the Phantom room at the Accor Arena, in Bercy.
“Decathlon has been known for decades for its blue department stores. Now we are opening this blue box to the rest of the world,” explained the Franco-Spanish woman, who has been in office for two years. “Everyone knows Decathlon but it is still perceived too much as a retailer,” regrets Fabien Brosse, sports and product manager.
The brand now wants to change dimension. While maintaining its niche in favor of accessibility to sport and low prices, Decathlon wants to assert itself as a brand for experts but also to develop products that can be worn in town. “This is a very important moment for Decathlon,” repeated the general director in front of several hundred guests, including 80 journalists.
Thirteen marks preserved out of eighty
To put this strategy into practice, management has revealed its first logo which will be added to the white signature on a blue background. This orbit “which pulls us towards the future” is rounded in shape, which represents “our commitment to circularity”, explains Céline Del Genes, director of customer experience.
However, this new brand image had already been published several months ago on social networks by CFDT Decathlon, scandalized that this new logo cost “2 million euros”. The company, which achieved 15.4 billion turnover in 2022, did not wish to communicate the amount of the operation.
READ ALSO Michel Biero, boss of Lidl France: “Yes, large multinationals have taken advantage of the crisis” Another new feature, Decathlon will drastically reduce the number of its brands. The group has chosen to keep only 13 out of 80, including 4 “expert brands” which can be marketed in other specialized stores and whose objective is to compete with the best manufacturers, according to Fabien Brosse. Between 10 and 15% of the 15,000 references currently available will be deleted, estimates the product manager, who assures that these are mainly “duplicate” models.
“Until a few months ago, we had one brand per sport and, as we do 80 sports, we had 80 brands. We got a little scattered, he admits. The objective is to achieve a more readable and more coherent offer. » For example, for the mountains, the three brands currently offered: Quechua for hiking, Forclaz for trekking and Wedze for skiing will merge under the name Quechua.
Modernized stores
This change will also be noticeable in stores. The one on the left bank in Paris, located near the François-Mitterrand library, in the 13e district, was the first to undergo this makeover. On the program: large panels in a slightly darker blue invite the customer to stroll along an improved “walking route” through the store.
The shelves – previously “overloaded”, according to Arnaud Salvador, responsible for the evolution of the concept – have been grouped by theme. In the “water” section, we find, for example, swimming pool, diving or aquagym accessories which were formerly scattered throughout the store. There will be up to 12 sports universes per store.
READ ALSO DIY, a lucrative business worth 39 billion eurosThe displays have also been revised, the group having finally switched to electronic labeling to save its employees time. The explanatory sheets concerning the products have been shortened but, instead, a QR code provides access to the technical characteristics. A new tool, still in the testing phase, allows you to compare two products by placing them on two platforms. The machine automatically detects them and displays their technical characteristics on the screen: price, technical characteristics and sizes available in store.
Development of the second-hand offer
This technology is based on RFID, already used at checkouts in Decathlon stores. If this tool is still in the testing phase, the rest of the store modernization elements should be deployed to all 1,700 points of sale around the world by the end of 2026, management specifies. Equipment flocked with the new logo will also appear “gradually” on the shelves.READ ALSO The secrets of the incredible Mulliez family
In its new strategy, the brand, originally from the north of France, member of the Mulliez galaxy – which owns, among others, Leroy Merlin and Auchan – also intends to focus on “sustainability”. Development of the second-hand offering, repair workshops, etc. The group plans to reduce its direct and indirect carbon emissions by 20% by 2026, by 42% by 2030 and “net zero by 2050” .
After more than an hour and a half of presentation, however, we are still a little unsatisfied. Decathlon, which prides itself on being “one of the world’s greatest innovators” with 15 design centers and 850 engineers, will not have highlighted any innovation, except the new product comparison system. A great marketing operation that lacked a little product innovation.
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