Decathlon has rolled out its buyback service to all its UK stores as part of its sustainability efforts.

The sports retailer is offering customers store credit when they return products they no longer want or need to one of its shops.

The retailer will then refurbish and resell the old products as part of its second-life scheme that sells refurbished sports equipment.

The first part of the initiative will focus on the retailer’s own-brand bicycles, before expanding to include all product categories such as fitness equipment, kayaks and rackets next year.

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The scheme, which is already live in Europe, has seen 251,000 products bought back and resold.

The retailer said it expects its UK service to refurbish 15,000 bikes a year by 2025 and has 1,500 Decathlon staff already trained to deliver circular services (rentals and buyback).

Decathlon UK sustainability leader Chris Allen said: “With the cost of living still continuing to impact sport and fitness participation across the UK, at Decathlon we are determined to ensure that sport participation continues and is not affected by the rising cost of goods.

“Buyback will allow customers to return their old and unwanted sporting equipment for store credit to use on refreshing their kit.”

It is the latest sustainability push by Decathlon to encourage a circular economy, joining the retailer’s rental service which was rolled out to all stores earlier this year.

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