Our commitment to limiting plastic pollution

DECATHLON is conducting research and modelling work to ultimately reduce the potential for the release of plastics generated by its activities. In 2023, its teams developed a dynamic dashboard to make a fresh assessment of the company’s footprint in terms of plastic pollution at the Group level, as well as for the countries, sports and industrial processes. This tool was developed with Environmental Action using the Plastic Leak Project and Plastic Footprint Network methodologies, and aims to improve data reliability and automate its reporting.

Teams are using this new study to create a reduction trajectory that aims to keep the company’s activities within planetary boundaries. To this end, they have already identified levers to be activated:
- Strengthening circular business models (second life, rental, repair)
- Replacing single-use plastics with alternatives having less of an impact
- Recycling sports equipment at the end of its life, and managing waste
Through these studies, Decathlon also aims to help create an international standard that will ultimately include plastic-use reduction objectives in a legal framework applying to all industry players.

E-commerce packaging
As it works to gradually eliminate single-use plastic pouches from logistics circuits for the shipment of e-commerce orders, DECATHLON has been replacing them since 2021 with paper envelopes, which have less impact on the environment.

In 2023, DECATHLON reduced the weight of plastic pouches used in e-commerce by 79% (185 tonnes used this year compared to 876 tonnes in 2022). To do this, it widely deployed alternative packaging solutions, such as paper envelopes (292 tonnes vs 72 tonnes in 2022) and cardboard boxes (7,735 tonnes vs 5,085 tonnes in 2022).

Outer packaging
This year saw better data management and improved reliability of data reporting for outer packaging. In 2023, 1,631 tonnes of single-use plastic packaging were used (compared with 1,628 tonnes in 2022). To reduce its plastic packaging consumption, DECATHLON is now developing cellulose alternatives (paper adhesive tape, paper padding, etc.) and is working to find a replacement for plastic stretch film in warehouses.

DECATHLON is working to limit the use of single-use plastic in stores.

Carrier bags
Thanks to the complete elimination of single-use plastic carrier bags available at checkouts in 18 countries in 2023, the number of bags decreased by 93.5% this year compared with 2022. To reach its goal of zero single-use plastic carrier bags, teams will offer personalised support to the four countries (Italy, Cambodia, Kazakhstan and Serbia) still using this type of packaging to help them eliminate any remaining quantities (1.2 tonnes).

Clothes hangers
DECATHLON is setting up various actions to limit its consumption of single-use plastic hangers:
- Designing hangers made of recycled materials: 68.7% recycled material (recycled polypropylene) was used to manufacture new hangers in 2023 (56% in 2022)
- Collecting hangers used for sale: 65% of hangers were collected (65% in 2022). The target of at least 75% collection by the end of 2023 could not be reached despite actions identified in 2022. This can be explained primarily by a difficulty in organising collection in stores. This issue will be monitored intensively in 2024 to ensure the target is reached
- Reusing hangers: 71.3 million hangers were reused (65.4 million in 2022) thanks to progress made in facilitating the return of hangers collected in stores to Asian product suppliers (35% reuse vs 21% in 2022)

In 2024, DECATHLON plans to:
- Use a circular hanger compatible with most jackets and sweaters sold in the autumn, in a closed loop system in each store
- Continue tests conducted with “How to sell” professionals to limit the number of products requiring hangers in store
- Replace two million plastic hangers with cardboard ones for certain types of products, such as swimwear