Remember that tiny, slightly-dusty corner of retail where your parents swore by the “sturdy” tracksuit and a pair of slightly aggressive sneakers? That used to be Decathlon’s brand shorthand. Fast-forward to 2024 and the story has pivoted hard: Decathlon posted €16.2 billion in net sales and—yes—profit dipped but stayed healthy at €787 million. More interestingly, digital now counts for one in five euros the company earns. Those are not the numbers of an old-school chain clinging to discounts. They’re the scorecard of a brand that quietly rebuilt itself into something young people actually want to browse, buy, and brag about.
TL;DR
- Decathlon successfully rebooted its brand, moving from “cheap” to “premium-in-disguise” with high-performance product lines like Kiprun.
- The company is overhauling its stores into interactive, Instagram-ready lifestyle hubs that offer repair and rental services.
- Digital is a key growth engine, now accounting for 20% of revenue, thanks to a seamless omnichannel strategy.
- Decathlon’s new strategy, led by CEO Javier López, involves strategic investment in brand and experience, accepting short-term margin pressure for long-term customer value.
The facelift you didn’t expect: stores that feel like mini lifestyle hubs
Decathlon didn’t just swap logos and call it a day. Stores have been transformed into interactive playgrounds—curated, Instagram-ready spaces where product displays read like lifestyle scenes rather than warehouse shelving. They added rental and repair services, which are brilliant for two reasons: one, they nudge customers to think in terms of experience and care, not just disposable gear; two, they double as sustainability signals. Shoppers now stroll through sections that mix retro-academia vibes with streetwear energy. The result? A physical trip to Decathlon feels less like grocery-shopping for gym socks and more like a low-stakes date with fitness culture.
This physical upgrade is not stylistic fluff. It’s strategic real estate: better dwell times, higher conversion, and a store that can host events, pop-ups, or collaborations—things that draw younger crowds and create social buzz.
The product play: from “cheap and cheerful” to premium-in-disguise
Decathlon has long succeeded on one principle: make useful gear affordable. But recently it started to show it can also make premium gear that actually competes with the big-name brands. Case in point: the Kiprun running line. Using advanced materials and thoughtful design, Kiprun aims to sit in the same conversation as mid-to-high tier running shoes from the usual suspects. Meanwhile, Quasi-premium ranges and in-house tech upgrades for brands like Quechua say loud and clear: Decathlon can do both value and credibility. When a brand nails both, it captures budget-conscious buyers and the gear-obsessed alike.
What that means on the ground: shoppers come for the price, stay for the performance, and might even pay up when they see the value. That’s how a mass retailer graduates into product-maker status.
New collections, fresh culture: “Late Bloomers” and creative collabs
Product innovation isn’t just technical; it’s cultural. Enter the “Late Bloomers” lifestyle collection—targeted at people who prefer slow living but still want thoughtful, functional pieces. The theme resonates with a lot of urban young adults who value comfort, aesthetics, and sustainable choices over flex culture.
Decathlon also increasingly works with artists and designers. Collaborations—like limited drops with street artists or visual creatives—inject immediate trend currency into the brand. That trick works: limited edition drops create FOMO, give media-friendly visuals, and turn a practical store into a brand that can appear in fashion roundups as well as fitness blogs.
Digital and sustainability: an omnichannel remix that actually works
The digital shift has been real. By combining e-commerce, marketplaces, and connected in-store orders, Decathlon lifted digital’s share to around 20% of revenue. That’s a massive leap for a business built on large-format stores. Seamless click-and-collect, reliable online inventory, and user-friendly product pages all helped. In practice, customers can discover a product online, try it in-store, and get it repaired or rented back at the same location. It’s the retail version of having your cake and jogging in it too.
On sustainability, Decathlon has layered on repair, rental, and recycling services. These do more than greenwash. They change the economics of ownership: if you can rent or repair, you buy less and keep what you own longer. That reduces waste and positions Decathlon as a brand that’s conscious of its footprint—important when Gen Z and younger Millennials judge brands by more than price.
Why the board brought in a new coach: Javier López’s arrival
Leadership matters when you’re shifting gears at scale. In March 2025, Decathlon tapped Javier López as CEO. He’s a longtime insider with deep operational experience, and his appointment signals a push to marry the company’s retail muscle with a faster, digital-first mindset. There’s a logic: appoint a leader who understands the company’s DNA but can also move it at startup speed. Expect sharper omnichannel playbooks, faster product cycles, and continued store modernization under his watch.
The economics: more revenue, leaner margins—why that’s ok
Revenue rose, but net profit fell—partly because transformative moves cost money. Store renovations, tech investments, premium product development, and marketing for newer audiences are not cheap. But smart investments yield sticky customers and higher lifetime value. If you spend to upgrade the experience and the product, you can trade short-term margin for long-term brand equity. Investors sometimes hate this. Customers tend to love it.
Here’s the other nuance: increasing digital share and modernizing stores often shows up as temporary margin pressure. But once those investments pay off—higher basket sizes, more frequent visits, better cross-sell—the margin line usually recovers. That’s the playbook Decathlon looks to be following.
Competitors: what Nike and adidas should be watching
Big brands have strength: image, celebrity deals, and high adrenaline marketing. Decathlon brings different weapons: product breadth, pricing, distribution muscle, and now—a more modern aesthetic. For incumbents, the worry isn’t that Decathlon will suddenly out-spend them on endorsements. The risk is that Decathlon eats the middle: it attracts people who want good design and performance at a friendlier price. If Decathlon nails premium offerings across several categories, it can slice market share from both budget and mid-tier segments.
So, if I were sitting in a rival boardroom, I’d not only watch product specs and materials but also scout which categories Decathlon is willing to elevate to “premium” status next.
What this means for consumers
Short version: better options. You’ll see more thoughtfully designed gear at accessible prices. Stores will be places to try, tweak, and even borrow gear. Sustainability-friendly services will let you experiment without commitment. And yes, you’ll likely find things that actually look and feel cool enough to wear outside the gym. If you hate overpaying and also hate boring designs, this is the silver lining.
Risks and what could go sideways
- Over-expansion fatigue. Renovating too many stores too fast can stretch teams and dilute the experience.
- Premium pricing mismatch. If premium lines don’t deliver real performance, customers will leave.
- Supply chain complexity. More product tiers and collaborations mean tighter demands on manufacturing and logistics.
- Cultural friction. A brand trying to be both mass-market and premium needs exceptional product management to avoid confusing customers.
These are solvable. Decathlon’s advantage is scale and an existing product development pipeline. Execution is the wild card
My two cents
Decathlon’s pivot is one of those rare retail stories where sensible strategy and cultural timing converge. They didn’t chase hype for hype’s sake. Instead, they layered product credibility, store experience, omnichannel competence, and sustainability into a coherent package. That’s why the numbers make sense: growth in sales coupled with short-term margin pressure from healthy reinvestment.
If you’re a customer: expect better design and smarter services. If you’re a competitor: don’t sleep on the quiet evolution. For investors: patience could be rewarded if these investments convert into higher margins later on.
