Despite the restrictions imposed by Covid-19, Decathlon was able to increase its net sales in Germany by 1.2 percent in 2020 as compared to the previous year. They reached €667 million, generating operating income (Ebit) of €10.8 million. In addition to the growing digital business, which represented 28 percent of the turnover last year as compared to 20 percent in 2019, the brick-and-mortar sales channel was expanded with six new physical locations in Hamburg-Langenhorn, Erding, Fulda, Munich-Elisenhof, Weiterstadt and Singen. Among the winning categories in 2020, the company mentioned fitness, yoga and Pilates as well as cycling, hiking and trekking. Decathlon Germany points out that it used 95 percent green electricity to power its stores and logistics centers. Addressing the ecologically relevant issue of returns in its report, it says that 97 percent of the returned goods were resold as new, for a total of more than two million items, while one percent of them went into a “second use” program. In addition, in-store service points repaired a total of 12,700 products. As of Dec. 31, the German subsidiary of Decathlon employed 5,116 people, and 46 percent were female. At least five new stores planned for this year will be located in the southern part of Germany. They include a 6,000-square-meter unit that opened its doors in Unterföhring on April 30 with strict anti-Covid measures.

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