Decathlon UK posts 10.3% sales increase
Sports retailer Decathlon has posted a 10.3% increase in annual UK sales as it continues to invest in expansion.
The French company, which operates in 57 countries, has been trading in the UK since 1999 and had gross sales in the country of £277.6 million in its last financial year. Online sales grew by 18.2%.
However, it made a £7.5 million pre-tax loss after investing £4.3 million in its bricks-and-mortar stores, ecommerce platform and warehousing. The company is planning to open five new stores in the UK including shops in Aberdeen and Leeds.
Other plans include creating opportunities for more employees to become co-owners in the Decathlon business through the DECAVAL shareholder scheme. At the end of 2019, more than 705 staff members were shareholders of the company.
Alberto Bottan, chief financial officer and property director at Decathlon UK, said: “Last year’s results show a trading period where turnover has strongly improved. And even if 2020 remains a very complicated year due to the Covid impact on retail, we are very confident in our ongoing performances and we aim to achieve profitability by the end of the year.”
