Decathlon shops in Evere, Namur and Ghent will change their name to Nohltaced for one month, the company announced in a press release on Monday.
"Nohltaced" (pronounced Noltakket) is Decathlon written backwards, or in reverse, the theme of the sports store chain's latest campaign to promote so-called "reverse shopping." This allows customers to resell old or unused sporting goods to Decathlon so that they can be repaired and resold in the store under warranty.
"We want to make sure everyone can play sports in an environmentally conscious way. To grow sustainably, we are therefore fully committed to our buy-back service, our second-hand offer, rental and repairs," Arnaud De Coster, second-hand Nolhtaced Belgium manager, said.
"At first glance, this name change to Nolhtaced may seem like a marketing stunt, but our main aim is to make our buy-back service known to the widest possible audience and thus reuse as many items as possible, lower the threshold for second-hand and increase purchasing power."
During a test phase this year, Decathlon bought back 26,000 items.
Aim of the campaign
With this campaign, which will see the logo on its website and social media channels as well as the banners on the facades of three shops replaced with the new name, the goal is to reuse as much equipment as possible and thus reduce the impact on the environment, as well as avoid waste.
"Our classic consumption pattern has to change: buy fewer new products and resell, repair or rent older material. Consumers are also starting to look at stuff differently than before. It is less about possession and more about use," Joeri Moons, sustainability manager Nolhtaced Belgium, said.
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This initiative also comes in light of the cost of living crisis — which has resulted in one-third of people in Belgium putting off buying new sportswear — as the second-hand offer also gives consumers with a lower income the chance to buy sports equipment at a lower price.
People selling their goods to Decathlon will receive a purchase voucher to spend on new equipment or other second-hand items, which will remain valid for two years. Meanwhile, products that cannot be resold can be left behind free of charge for recycling.
