Decathlon is launching rental options for its Belgian customers. The service, available across the whole country and headed by Quentin Goffart, will initially involve equipment for five sports, namely cycling, kayak/paddle, fitness, camping/trekking and skiing. The offer will be expanded to other sports later this year, the company said.
Belgian customers can rent the equipment for a day, a week, a month or three months. Reservations are made online. The rental price depends on the products and represents 2 to 10 percent of the purchase price, with further advantages in the case of long-term rental. Between each rental, the equipment is taken care of by Nektari for verification and cleaning.
Nektari, headquartered in Puurs-Sint-Amands, is an association that employs people with disabilities or those who are typically excluded from the labor market. Its employees will be based at the Decathlon center in Willebroek.
According to a survey of more than 1,000 Belgians commissioned by Decathlon, one Belgian in three has sports equipment that is no longer used. For around 26 percent of people surveyed, the purchase of sports equipment is an obstacle to starting exercising, while 18 percent said they would exercise more if they could rent sports equipment. Decathlon hopes that the new service will allow more people to participate in physical activity and sports and support a circular economy.
