Mobility Transition Pathway

DECATHLON pledges to:

• establish a dual reparability index for electrically-assisted bicycles (mechanical and electrical components) and have 100% of all DECATHLON bikes assessed using the repairability index by 2026 (Point 25 European Declaration on  Cycling).
• have 15 million DECATHLON bikes in the EU marked with a unique code by the end of 2026 as anti-theft prevention (Point 22 European Declaration on  Cycling).
• get 5 million bikes registered in a functioning bike-marking database by the end of 2026 across Europe (Point 22 European Declaration on Cycling).
• collaborate with the Belgian and French governments to develop an interoperable bike marking system by the end of 2026, as a first step towards an EU-wide scheme. (Point 22 European Declaration on Cycling).
• share qualified data on bike usage and cyclist demographics with relevant  stakeholders by 2026. (Chapter VIII European Declaration on Cycling)
• educate children to ride bikes safely by providing practice courses. We aim to educate 1000 children in France by the end of 2026. (Points 6, 9 and 23  European Declaration on Cycling)

DECATHLON strongly welcomes the European Declaration on Cycling as an important milestone in establishing cycling as a recognised and equal sector within the mobility ecosystem. As we demonstrate in this contribution to the Mobility Transition Pathway, DECATHLON is already committed to many of the points addressed in the Declaration, such as ‘creating more and better cycling infrastructureʼ, ‘increasing investments and creating favourable conditions for cyclingʼ, and ‘supporting quality green jobs and the development of a world-class European cycling industryʼ. However, the Cycling Declaration also touches upon important aspects that are not covered under the format of the Mobility Transition Pathway.

For example, regarding the European Declaration on Cyclingʼs goal of ‘Encouraging inclusive, affordable, and healthy mobilityʼ, DECATHLON is committed to educating children on safe cycling. In the first half of 2024, DECATHLON provided cycling education for 200 children as part of the “savoir rouler à véloˮ certificate. DECATHLON aims to increase this capacity to educate 1,000 children from now until the end of  2026.

Additionally, DECATHLON is working towards improving bike security in line with the Cycling Declaration. Recently, DECATHLON, alongside other European bike marking operators, advocated for an EU-wide interoperable bike marking system that allows stolen bikes to be easily identified via a unique code/QR code. Currently, in the European Union, 8.4 million DECATHLON bikes are marked with such a QR code. However, only 2.7 million of these are registered in a functioning database that includes the bike ownersʼ contact information. Such a well-functioning system currently exists only in France, where bike registration has been compulsory since January 2021. DECATHLON thus pledges to advocate, together with other partners from the bike value chain, for a cross-European, interoperable bike marking scheme. DECATHLON aims to have 5 million bikes registered in a functioning European database containing the bike owners' contact information by the end of 2026.

Furthermore, DECATHLON is seeking to extend the lifespan of bikes by empowering cyclists to repair their bikes easily.
To achieve this, DECATHLON is ensuring that customers have easy access to spare parts. Additionally, DECATHLON is committed to developing a dual repairability index for e-bikes (covering both mechanical and electronic parts). This will enable DECATHLON to measure the repairability of the mechanical components of its bikes, including parts subject to wear and tear, as well as electrical components such as batteries or motors.

The repairability of a bike will be based on four criteria:
1. Available and accessible manuals,
2. Availability of spare parts,
3. Ease of disassembly, and
4. Repair costs being at least 30% lower than the price of a new product. DECATHLON is committed to having 100% of its bike s assessed for repairability performance by 2026.

Lastly, DECATHLON is collaborating with other stakeholders, such as the European Cyclists' Federation, to work towards the Cycling Declarationʼs goal of ‘improving the collection of data on cyclingʼ. Some e-bikes sold by DECATHLON have integrated tracking devices to help with bike protection and theft recovery. The data gathered can also help assess infrastructure safety, usage, and determine which routes are more frequently used and if accidents occur more often on certain routes. DECATHLON thus commits to sharing qualified data with groups such as the European Cyclists' Federation (ECF) and the European Commission to help inform cycling infrastructure policies by 2026.

DECATHLON pledges to:
• keep the guidebook for local mobility strategies updated regularly.

To effectively evoke change, DECATHLON has adopted a grass-roots approach to the promotion of safe cycling infrastructure and local cycling strategies. For example, in 2023 DECATHLON established an ecomobility guide to help governments and local  authorities to develop local mobility strategies. DECATHLON commits itself to keeping this guidebook updated and promoting its implementation at the local level where  DECATHLON is present.

To do so, DECATHLON has already invested approximately EUR 100.000 into the development of a training programme which seeks to elevate DECATHLON staff to local cycling advocates in their area. With this initiative, DECATHLON followed a bottom-up approach on a local level for the promotion of safer cycling infrastructure.  Employees were taught advocacy strategies in order to move local communities and decision-makers towards the development of cycling and promote investments in safe cycling infrastructure. Such local advocacy was done in Spain, France, Italy, Belgium,  Slovenia and Poland.

• increase the “circular” turnover of its cycling division to 10% in 2026 and 25% in 2030.
• buy back a total of 500.000 bikes by 2026 and 1 million bikes by 2030 for refurbishment and subsequent introduction to the second-hand market.
• grow its rental business model ; it constitutes 10% of the circular model of the cycling division 2026 and 20% in 2030.

At DECATHLON, we are expanding circular business models in our operations. Currently, 3.3% of DECATHLON’s global turnover is achieved through circular business models. The largest contributor to the expansion of the circular business model is the cycling division. One of the main drivers is the “buy-back” models, where DECATHLON purchases used sports equipment from customers and refurbishes it for second-life usage. DECATHLON aims to buy back a total of 800,000 sporting goods products, including 500,000 bikes, by 2026. The goal is to increase this amount to 2 million products bought back by DECATHLON by 2030, including 1 million bikes, which should then account for 40% of the overall turnover of the circular business models.

In addition to the buy-back circular business model, DECATHLON is committed to further expanding bike rental schemes. This can be especially helpful to parents, as children quickly outgrow their bikes and frequently need new ones. A bike rental business model could thus lower the financial burden on parents and incentivise them to introduce their children to cycling. DECATHLON Cycle is committed to growing the rental business so that it constitutes 10% of the circular business model share of DECATHLON Cycling division by 2026 and 20% by 2030.

DECATHLON pledges to:
• continue organising communication events and initiatives to raise awareness of cycling in Europe.
• further advocate for a safe cycling infrastructure through the “safe cycling networkˮ. 
• continue advocating on a national level to make use of VAT exemptions for bikes.
• incentivise the usage of cycling among its employees through incentivisation and communication initiatives.

As a business directly engaged with consumers, DECATHLON is aware of its ability to communicate messages to its customers and employees. To promote the development of cycling, which is a cornerstone of the green mobility transition, DECATHLON was engaged with several events during the Mobility Week from 16 to 22 September 2023 in nine EU countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia). Overall, DECATHLON held 155 events dedicated to eco-mobility throughout 2023. These include bicycle repair workshops, bike helmet customisation workshops for children, in-store product testing, information events, panel discussions and advice from teams on site. In 2023 DECATHLON created the “Safe Cycling Networkˮ in partnership with the Urban Cycling Institute with the aim of raising the quality of safe cycling for everyone outside of DECATHLON sites.

DECATHLON commits itself to maintaining its efforts of organising communication events and initiatives to raise awareness of cycling.

Also on a national level, DECATHLON has been active in facilitating a more supportive environment for DECATHLONʼs bike customers. For example, DECATHLON is advocating on a national level to make use of the option of exempting bikes from the VAT in order to reduce the price of bikes for cyclists.

In terms of internal communication and initiatives to promote cycling, DECATHLON has put in place discounts to buy bikes and financial incentives to cycle to work in several countries such as in France, Belgium, Poland, Spain, and Slovenia. 40% of the kilometres travelled by DECATHLONʼs employees in their work commutes in 2023 were done using active mobility or eco-mobility (33% in 2022). It is also worth noting that in 2023, 21% of the kilometres travelled by customers to go to DECATHLON stores were done by using active mobility or ecomobility which is an increase of 4% from the year before. DECATHLON has also publicly communicated these challenges and is committed to developing further innovative cycling communication campaigns to raise awareness of cycling.

DECATHLON pledges to:
• support the uptake of recycled aluminium for the production of bicycles.
• participate in the European Commissionʼs Joint Research Centreʼs preparatory study for Ecodesign criteria for aluminium.
• conduct a study on recycled content in aluminium for bikes and publish the results in 2025.

• reach 60% preferred metal usage by the end of 2024 (i.e. recycled, low carbon/hydro energy usage).
• eliminate the use of single-use plastics by 2026 (excluding products requiring protection to ensure their technical quality, and products subject to legal constraints).
• reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain by 2050, following a decarbonisation trajectory based on the Paris agreement and in line with the Net Zero standard. DECATHLONʼs decarbonisation milestones (scopes 1, 2 & 3 are to achieve a 42% reduction in absolute CO2 emissions in 2030 compared to emissions measured in 2021.

To even further increase the environmental benefits of cycling as a mode of  transportation from the design, to the production, and to the end-of-life, DECATHLON  firmly commits to expanding the use of preferable materials, which includes recycled  aluminium and steel, virgin low-carbon aluminium, as well as certified natural rubber. 

Concretely, DECATHLON commits to purchasing 96% green metals (i.e. recycled, low carbon/hydro) of the total volume of metals purchased by the year 2028. At the time of submission, preferred metals represented 52% of DECATHLON's consumption. It is  DECATHLON's target to reach 60% preferred metals by the end of 2024.  Next to this, DECATHLON also commits to engaging with the European Joint Research Centre on the development of Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR) for bikes by delivering insights into the production of bicycles. Additionally, in order to limit plastic waste, DECATHLON also commits to completely eliminating the use of single-use plastics by the year 2026 (excluding products requiring protection to ensure their technical quality, and products subject to legal constraints).

All these steps are taken so DECATHLON achieves the overall goal of reaching Net  Zero by 2050, as also set out in DECATHLONʼs published Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi commitment).

DECATHLON pledges to:
• set up a cross-industry coalition to increase awareness and facilitate access to battery cells for e-bikes.

The cycling industry, and also DECATHLON, is facing considerable difficulties in acquiring battery cells for the production of batteries for e-bikes. This is mainly due to the fact that the battery demand for e-bikes is dwarfed by the use of battery cells for the production of automotive vehicles. To put this into perspective, as DECATHLON, the global consumption need for e-bike batteries (in 2026 it will be 0.128 GwH) represents merely 0.03% of the production capacity of a single automotive ‘gigafactoryʼ (approx. 500 GwH). 

As DECATHLON, we engage in coalition building with the bike industry and the European Commission in order to increase awareness of this situation and establish support for the bicycle industry.

DECATHLON pledges to:
• implement a research study which aims to create a methodology to assess the health and wellbeing impacts of cycling initiatives at the workplace. This will be published by the end of 2024.

As a global leader in sporting goods and equipment, we are convinced that active mobility is a fundamental cornerstone for achieving widespread health benefits across society. DECATHLON has engaged in initiatives to promote cycling among its employees. However, despite the acknowledged benefits of active mobility, there is a lack of a comprehensive approach to assessing its impact on health and well-being, especially within workplace settings. This is why DECATHLON commits to implementing a research study aimed at creating a methodology to assess the health and well-being impacts of cycling initiatives in the workplace. The first results of the study are expected by the end of 2024. The outcomes of this assessment will then be communicated publicly.

DECATHLON pledges to:
• offer vocational training to approximately 100 people with different kinds of educational backgrounds each year in France to facilitate their entry into the cycling industry and potentially work for DECATHLONʼs workshops.

Due to its vital role in the green transformation of the mobility ecosystem, the cycling industry is expected to grow considerably. This will inevitably result in the need for a skilled workforce. DECATHLON is therefore committed to offering training to those who are interested in the possibility of learning the skills necessary to enter the cycling industry. For this reason, DECATHLON has implemented the Centre de Formation D'Apprentis (CFA) training centre that aims to create vocations by offering work-study training on skills that meet the needs of the market with the possibility offered to some apprentices to integrate into the workforce at DECATHLON. The CFA DECATHLON is a network of schools throughout France, made up of committed people who want to pass on and share their knowledge of the industry. For the year 2024, it is DECATHLONʼs goal to conduct 7 classes in total and educate 105 work-study students (compared to 86 work-study students in 2023).