DECATHLON's key dates

DECATHLON's key dates

Discover our history, date by date.

decathlon's key dates

1976

The first DECATHLON store opens.
Michel Leclercq invents a new concept. A store entirely dedicated to all sports under the same roof
The first self-service superstore opens its doors in Englos, near Lille, France.

decathlon's key dates

1982

The famous "TULULUTUTU jingle is composedTULULUTUTU" and the slogan "SPORTS FOR ALL!"

DECATHLON integrates its own logistics by opening its first warehouse at Villeneuve d’Ascq, France. Before that, each store was directly supplied by suppliers. 

1985

DECATHLON broadcasts its first TV ad with Tarzan, its first advertising hero! 

Watch the ad:

decathlon's key dates

1986

The Manufacturing division is established with the aim of dealing with designing and manufacturing DECATHLON labelled sports goods. One of the first products made is a bike frame. 

DECATHLON opens its first store outside France, in Dortmund, Germany.

In France, logistics continues to expand, opening an 8,000 sq. m warehouse in Vitrolles, France.

The creation of TROCATHLON events by a DECATHLON teammate, Gilles, allows customers to sell and buy second-hand equipment from each other. 

1987

Employee co-ownership is launched: in France, teammates become company shareholders.

decathlon's key dates

1988

Jean-Dominique, a DECATHLON teammate, establishes the Ecole Des Métiers (a training centre) to meet the training needs of all teams. Since then, this in-house training institute, called later Échanges DECATHLON, is where all our teammates inevitably stop off!

decathlon's key dates

1992

First product packaging with an eco-designed approach.

1994

DECATHLON Campus opens in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France

decathlon's key dates

1996

First DECATHLON brands established: TRIBORD for water sports and QUECHUA for mountain sports.

The industrial division is established to optimise the manufacturing process. 

Store No 121, Porte des Alpes, opens its doors, near Lyon, France. It will become in 2011 our biggest French store with 12,800 sq. m surface area.

1997

Creation of Sports users' body Research Centre.
In the early 1990s, a student taking an interest in different types of foot motion does an internship at DECATHLON. In 1995, he defends his doctoral thesis on “heel and forefoot pivoting while running: methods and applications for sports footwear”.In the same year, he participates in the creation of one of the first innovative products for the DECATHLON brand: the Maya hiking shoe, equipped with the Flex concept.Following this successful experience, the Research Centre dedicated to the human body is officially founded in 1997, integrating several experts. Today, it has fifty or so research engineers and is called DECATHLON SportsLab.

Logistics goes international! The first foreign warehouse opens abroad with 17,000 sq. m surface area, in Martorell close to Barcelona, in Spain.

The Trans En Provence store, No 171, opens with the smallest surface area, at 898 sq. m. It remained our smallest store until 2018, when it was given a makeover, becoming larger, more functional and environmentally friendly.

decathlon's key dates
decathlon's key dates

1999

We launch the B’TWIN 5 bike, a compromise between a mountain bike and a city bike, and whose slogan is "just as at ease everywhere as anywhere".

Opening of the first QUECHUA design centre: three years only after launching the brand, the fifteen or so people that made up the team, moved to Domancy, in the French Alpes. In 2014, a new site opened its doors, designed using an environmentally friendly approach: a unique space with a 10,000 sq. m surface area in which sports users can interact directly with design teams.

decathlon's key dates

2002

We inaugurate the “Human Responsibility in Manufacturing” charter and conduct first audits of our suppliers.

2003

We put in place the “winning teammates” survey: an in-house indicator assessing teammates' satisfaction.

decathlon's key dates

2004

Creation of “Échanges DECATHLON”, the in-house training centre. 

decathlon's key dates

2005

QUECHUA creates the famous “Pop up tent”. This product symbolises the whole company approach to innovation. 

DECATHLON crosses a new frontier by entering Russia! The first store opens in the north of Moscow. An opening that reinforces the retail brand presence in Eastern Europe after Poland 6 years beforehand. 

We establish the DECATHLON Foundation, investing in social integration projects around sport.

decathlon's key dates

2006

Arrival in store of the first products with an eco-design approach.

We launch, in November, the Koodza.fr e-commerce website, the forerunner of DECATHLON.fr

We become sustainable development pioneers in French retail parks when we open store No 450 in Saint-Quentin, France. It becomes our first test “environmental” store with its 4,500 sq. m surface area: rainwater management, the introduction of natural light (beneficial for both staff and customers) and, above all, we put an end to using the green carpet… it's no longer welcome (fossil fuel-based components, chemical additive glue). We switch to a concrete floor.

decathlon's key dates

2008

We establish the environmental leader network in our brands and our industrial processes.

The fitness & gym sports brand DOMYOS brings together its teams in the Domyos Centre in Marcq-en-Baroeul, France. 

Opening of a design centre and store dedicated to hunting, fishing and archery in Cestas, Gironde, France. .

In March, Koodza.fr becomes Decathlon.com. We launch e-reservations and allow customers to view stock in store.

decathlon's key dates
decathlon's key dates

2010

We create a position dedicated to Human Responsibility in Manufacturing.

The B’TWIN Village for cycling enthusiasts sees the light of day in Lille, France. 

decathlon's key dates

2011

In March, DECATHLON.com and DECATHLON.fr merge, providing greater
retail branding consistency and allowing our customers better understand our product range and make the best product choice.

First environmental certification for a DECATHLON store.

decathlon's key dates

2012

We launch experimentation of labelling products' environmental impact for our products.

decathlon's key dates
decathlon's key dates

2014

In November: We launch the Click & Collect service. The following year, it becomes our customers' preferred delivery option.

We conduct first generalised on-site water treatment audits at our suppliers.

decathlon's key dates

2015

The DECATHLON.fr website reaches 145 millions visits.The physical boundaries of our stores are pushed back thanks to the Kiosk Plus. It provides customers with full access to our entire online product range.

The physical boundaries of our stores are pushed back thanks to the Kiosk Plus. It provides customers with full access to our entire online product range.

We reach the milestone of 1,000 stores with the opening of the Kexuedadao store, in China.

The KISPTA brand dedicated to team sports, opens the doors of its Kipstadium site in Tourcoing, near Lille, France. 

We put in place the RSB (Sustainable business together) project going beyond social compliance.

decathlon's key dates

2016

DECATHLON celebrates its 40th birthday!

Decathlon creates a multitude of new brands, better meeting the needs of its sports users. 

Sustainable development integrates the company's strategic vision. 

decathlon's key dates

From an idea to its end-of-life: the whole story behind DECATHLON sports goods!

Picture of product conception

What does design mean at DECATHLON?

How are DECATHLON products designed? Who designs DECATHLON products? Product design and DECATHLON we explain all the steps.

Picture of manufacture

What does manufacturing mean at DECATHLON?

We are a product designer. This means we imagine and think them through to answer your needs. Once we complete this stage, we have to bring them to life to make them available. This stage is called manufacturing.

Picture of a DECATHLON store

What does distribution mean at DECATHLON?

DECATHLON, distribution? What does it refer to? This term brings together all the ways we have at our disposal to get our products to you. Website, store: we reveal all

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A long-lasting relationship

Getting your feedback, talking to each other, sharing a passion we have in common, supporting, motivating and helping… Experiencing DECATHLON doesn't stop at buying a product. We want to develop a long-lasting relationship with you, the sports users.

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Passion sports and sports passion

Quechua, Tribord, and all the others... Why do we refer to them as passion sports? What is the list of sports at DECATHLON? DECATHLON's head offices?