Decathlon changes name to ‘Nolhtaced’ in Belgium; find out why
Decathlon, a leading sporting goods retailer, took everyone surprise recently as it changed its name to ‘Nolhtaced’ in Belgium for a month. If you, too, are trying to decode the meaning of this confusing name, stop! It’s just the spelling of the brand’s name in reverse.
The aim behind this interesting move, according to a press release, is to promote “reverse shopping“, allowing customers to resell old or unused sporting goods to Decathlon so that they can be repaired and resold with a warranty. If the products can not be repaired or reused, they will be directed to a recycling hub.
“The goal is to reuse as much equipment as possible to reduce the impact on our environment and avoid waste. Decathlon’s second-hand product range will also allow less fortunate consumers to buy quality sports equipment at a lower price,” Decathlon Belgium wrote in the press release.
Decathlon is collecting sporting goods (excluding safety articles, hygiene products, food products, medical products, and personalised items), even the ones that were not purchased from the chain, in exchange for vouchers valid for two years. The retailer mentioned that it has already collected 26,000 items in Belgium this year during the test phase in return for a total voucher value of €593,220.
The name ‘Nohltaced’ now appears on the website logo, social media, and above the entrances of three of Decathlon’s Belgian branches – Namur, Ghent, and Evere.
Arnaud de Coster, head of second-hand products at Nolhtaced Belgium, said, “At first glance, this name change might look like a mere marketing initiative, but our goal is primarily to make our buy-back service known to as many people as possible.”
Agreeing, Joeri Moons added that it is less about owning and more about using. “This also means that we need to design our products so that they can last as long as possible,” he said.
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