Decathlon launches new rental system in a bid to promote sustainability

It’s easy to see why Liverpool’s Decathlon store has been chosen as BID Company’s business of the month.

In just over a year since the sports company launched its up-and-coming flagship store in the city it’s winning the race to have an impact on the area and help make sport more accessible to everyone.

Lucy Blaevoet, department manager and community engagement manager, says: “For Decathlon, it’s not just about selling people a product, it’s about challenging ourselves to make a change, and a difference wherever we are.’

“It’s about getting involved in the community and having an impact on it.

“What we don’t shout about enough is the quality of our products and their price value. Every product is expertly designed by specialists for each particular sport,” adds Lucy.

“But more than that we want to promote sport and make sure it’s easier for everyone to get active.”

Decathlon has recently launched a Rental system which gives customers the chance to try before they buy, and experience a new sport at an affordable price.

For example, for a family wanting to use a kayak for a 10 days’ holiday, it will cost them a total of £117.50 which will include a kayak, paddles, and buoyancy aids, compared with purchasing it at cost of around £390.

“It’s not just about ownership, but usership,” says Lucy. “We have a team of qualified technicians who will clean it up, check it out, and then it’s ready to go out again for new sports adventures.”

Sustainability is key for Decathlon.

Decathlon has partnered with BID and other organisations to get involved in World Cleanup Day in September. With the River and Canal Trust they will be getting out on Decathlon paddle boards to get tidying up the Docks and different areas of the waterfront. With Mersey Forest they will be organising a walk on which everyone who is taking part will pick up litter on the way.

And it has teamed up with Mersey Bowmen Lawn Tennis Club in Sefton Park to help recycle the tennis balls it can no longer use and distribute them to animal shelters whose four-legged residents can put them back to good use.

“We also want our customers to maintain their products and make sure nothing goes to waste, so Decathlon encourages the return of rubber inner tubes to be recycled into other products.

“And it has workshops in store to repair products like bikes, kayaks, and tennis rackets, and a current partnership with tennis clubs to re-string rackets at a reduced price.” Eventually, it hopes to be able to repair many more of the products it sells.

Decathlon Liverpool is planning to organise more events and play an even more active role in the community, setting up workshops to help people look after and maintain their equipment, for instance, their bikes.

And it has teamed up with Liverpool School Sports Partnership to help children learn to ride their first bike in schools and then go on to own one: “We will also soon be launching a buy back policy so when a child has outgrown their bike, they can bring it back and use any money from that to invest in their new one,” continues Lucy.

“We want to create activities in store and make it lively, to interact with customers and have a partnership with them, not just sell them a product. We want to go above and beyond and that’s what I’m passionate about,” says Lucy.