China's rapidly growing sports industry a rare opportunity for the world: Vice President of Decathlon China

(ECNS) -- China's sports industry has become a trillion-level Blue Ocean market and will enter a period of rapid development, which is a rare opportunity for the world, said Zhang Chundi, vice president of Decathlon China, during an interview with China News Service.

China has growing advantages in hosting major sporting events and promoting cultural exchanges, Zhang said, citing the success of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics as examples of the development of China’s sports industry.

Decathlon has been operating in China for 30 years. “During this period, we have not only witnessed the rapid development of China's sports industry, but also participated in the process,” he said.

“I actually remember that when Decathlon first entered China, everyone wore the same style sneakers to run, play football, and play basketball. Now, many customers who enter our store ask, ‘I'm going to run a marathon, what kind of shoes should I wear?’ or ‘We're going cross-country hiking, what's the right gear?’We can feel the change,” he said.

The vice prescient of Decathlon China noted that sports have become an essential part of many Chinese people, with their growing emphasis on improving quality and expanding consumption in this area, therefore, he firmly believes China’s sports industry will usher in broader development space and more opportunities.

Decathlon has achieved rapid development in the Chinese market thanks to the strong support and favorable environment provided by the Chinese government regarding investment attraction and promotion policies, according to Zhang.

These policies have provided multinational companies with broader market access opportunities, simplified administrative procedures, improved service efficiency, provided a series of policy support and facilitation measures, and provided rare development opportunities for many multinational companies, he added.

Decathlon has four self-owned factories, 11 intelligent manufacturing and procurement centers, 3 logistics parks, 1 brand center, and more than 200 physical stores in over 100 cities across China, with an expanded multi-channel online business.

Zhang said that one of the main reasons for Decathlon's success in China is the Group's full industry chain layout. China is Decathlon's first market to feature a full industry chain layout outside France. Currently, 94.2% of the products it sells in China are manufactured locally, and it will increase this proportion to 100%, he noted.

In the future, Decathlon will continue to expand its presence in China, driving sports consumption by offering higher-quality services, creating accessible sports experiences for consumers by continuously investing in new stores, introducing debut projects, and launching innovative services and diverse activities, Zhang stressed.

“We will seize the excellent opportunity of China's ever-expanding high-level opening up, and look forward to working with more partners to promote our company's comprehensive development in China,” Zhang concluded.