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VILLENEUVE D’ASCQ, France – Despite reports on shipments from its suppliers that were stopped last December and plans being postponed for bike production in Lille; 2008 was a great year for Europe’s biggest in sporting goods as well as bikes. Decathlon grew over 11% in revenues to close to 5 billion euro (excl. VAT). 

For 2009 it plans it to be the first year in which the retail chain is making more money outside France compared to its domestic business. The sporting goods retail chain is even eyeing India for its international expansion plans.

That Europe’s biggest bicycle seller is targeting a further international expansion has all to do with the fact that growth possibilities on its domestic market are limited. Currently Decathlon is operating 235 stores in France which in 2008 realized € 2.5 billion in revenues (excl. VAT); 3.9% up on the total for 2007.

Oxylane Group, the French company behind Decathlon, operates now 433 outlets; 31 stores were opened in 2008. Last year no new markets were included in the operation. In particular in Spain Decathlon expanded with the opening of 9 new stores bringing the tally to 66. In Italy 5 new outlets were opened bringing the total to 51. In Germany one new store was opened (now 10) while the same goes for Belgium (now 9). In the UK (6 stores), Portugal (10) and The Netherlands (2) no new openings were reported.

However, in Eastern Europe Decathlon network was further expanded with 3 more stores in Poland, another two in Hungary and a third store in Russia. Outside Europe, in Brazil 2 outlets were opened bringing the total to 4. Also in China a big growth in the number of outlets took place; another 4 were opened bringing the total to 18.

In a report on Decathlon’s expansion plans published in the trade journal for the sporting goods sector ‘Sporting Goods Intelligence’ it is said that owner Oxylane group is looking for a suitable site to enter the Swiss market. “It is also going to test the waters shortly in India, starting with a wholesale operation in a country whose long-term potential for market development is undeniable.”

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