Decathlon launches UK’s first nationwide sports rental service

In a bid to get more people taking up sport, Decathlon is the first major retailer to launch rentals across all UK stores.

The service will allow people to try out a new sport without the financial commitment of having to invest in all the gear first.

The cost of living crisis has impacted sport and fitness participation across the UK, as new research from Decathlon found that one in four Brits are keen to take up a new sport but the cost of doing so is holding them back.

Products included range from bikes and kayaks, to stand up paddle boards and tennis rackets.

Paddleboards and kayaks can be hired for £30 a day whilst tennis rackets are £10, with all rentals being 50% on the second day.

Take the items with you on a weekend staycation, or use as and when for low-commitment play.

At a time when finances are hard, Decathlon Rentals aims to make sport more accessible.

Items can be used for a fraction of the cost of buying – for example, eBikes available in the service cost £899.99 to buy, but can be rented for £45 a day.

Over £1million worth of products are included in the scheme.

Rentals can be ordered online and collected in store in as little as an hour and they can also be cancelled up to 24 hours in advance to allow for any weather changes.

It’s a flexible scheme designed to make trying sports easier, and take out the worry of having to store items if space is an issue too.

Sharon Poulter, rental leader at Decathlon UK, said: ‘Despite having the appetite to try sports, committing to the cost of buying gear is one of the biggest barriers to people taking up something new.

‘Rentals gives customers across the UK the opportunity to overcome this challenge by discovering the joy of different activities at an affordable price and in a sustainable way.

‘We are proud to be the first business to offer nationwide rentals and this is a positive step forward for sustainable sports retail.’

For more information, visit: www.decathlon.co.uk/rentals

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