Decathlon has launched the ‘Festival Tent Pledge’ ahead of festival season to reward customers for not leaving their tent behind – which is one of the biggest problems festivals face.
The pledge, part of the No Tent Left Behind campaign, from the world’s biggest sports retailer has been supported by Glastonbury broadcaster Lauren Laverne. The pledge will be rolled out nationwide, allowing customers to return Decathlon’s most popular tent even after using it at a festival. As a reward for not leaving the £29.99 tent behind, Decathlon is guaranteeing a full refund in the form of a gift card.
Around 250,000 tents are left behind at festivals across the UK each year with most going to landfill. The new Pledge will run until 21st July and guarantees customers their money back when returning the selected tent in good condition to help reduce the amount of waste, and promote sustainable festival fun.
Any customer that has bought the Quechua MH100 Two Person Tent in 2023 – which is Decathlon’s most popular product during festival season, selling thousands last year, can return it in store for a £29.99 gift card. The price of the tent makes it one of the most likely tents to be left behind by festival goers and the cash back initiative hopes to incentivise customers to return the tent after the festival for it to be resold as part of the Second Life range to prolong the lifespan of tents and reducing single use consumption.
Decathlon has also worked with well-known music artist, Jack Teagle, to create in-store artwork that highlights the environmental impacts of leaving a tent behind. The posters will be displayed at all Decathlon stores in the UK during this year’s festival season to remind customers that festival purchases should not be single-use.
Chris Allen, Sustainability Leader at Decathlon UK, comments: “Festival season is one of the busiest periods in our stores because of our wide camping offering. We know single-use tents are an environmental problem, and aim to reduce the amount left behind with our No Tent Left Behind campaign. We’re deeply committed to reducing our environmental impact, and will give a full refund in the form of a gift card on this tent to demonstrate our commitment to encouraging people to bring their tent home.”
Lauren Laverne, Broadcaster, said: “It’s time for us to party responsibly at all festivals this year and show some love to the planet. Decathlon’s ‘No Tent Left Behind’ campaign allows people to enjoy their festival experience in an eco-friendly way – and earn themselves a bit of cash back at the end of it all. Keep the tunes – and tents going, and let’s make a lasting impact, one tent at a time!”
Publisher of Hospitality and Leisure News, 365 Retail, Retail Source and organiser of the Creative Retail Awards.
