Decathlon Turns Returns Policy Into Commitment Tool for New Year’s Resolutions

Decathlon, the global sporting goods brand, has helped Canadians stay on track with their New Year's resolutions by making its bestselling running shoes unreturnable. Recognising that many fitness pledges drop by the end of January, the brand is turning a standard retail policy into a powerful tool to encourage active habit building, fun, and long-term commitment to movement throughout the year.

While 48% of Canadians prioritise fitness as their top New Year’s resolution, recent data from Drive Research (2024) reveals a stark tension: roughly 92% fail to see their resolutions through, with the second Friday of January infamously coined the 'Quitters Day.'

In response, Decathlon and creative agency Rethink are intervening at a pivotal moment, turning a simple purchase into a powerful act of self-commitment: Between January 1st and 31st, 2026, customers purchasing the KIPRUN 500 WR models are symbolically waiving their right to return the product, effectively 'locking in' their resolution. Members who stick to their resolution will be rewarded with 1,000 bonus loyalty points in recognition of their commitment to movement.

"We often talk about removing friction from the customer journey, yet here, we’re using friction as a strategic tool for motivation," said Xavier Blais, partner and executive creative director at Rethink. "By challenging the standard return policy, we’re leaning into a fundamental brand truth: Decathlon deeply cares about its customers staying active. It’s a bold move for a retailer to suggest a product is unreturnable, but we’re flipping the script to show how this supports people’s goals: It transforms the brand from a vendor into an accountability partner."

How does it work?

Everyone interested in starting their year in movement is encouraged to secure their own pair of the unreturnable shoe by following these easy steps:

● Purchase the Shoe: Go to decathlon.ca or visit any Decathlon store across Canada and purchase one of the best-selling running shoe models; KIPRUN men’s and women’s versatile and water-repellent running shoes, 500 WR.

● Take the Pledge: On the product page, customers will be shown a warning, stating that, by purchasing the shoes, they are agreeing to not return them as they’ll be sticking to their New Year’s resolution to keep moving.

● Receive the Reward: Customers will receive 1,000 bonus loyalty points upon purchase, and will keep them by completing their commitment (not returning the shoes for 30 days).

“We see that people want to start the year strong, but the temptation to quit is often too easy,” said Marie-Lou Blais, marketing and communications director at Decathlon. “Decathlon’s mission goes deeper than convenience as we genuinely care about our customers’ sustained well-being and their ability to commit to themselves. The unreturnable shoe is our playful way of intervening at a pivotal moment, turning a simple purchase into a powerful act of self-commitment, and we’re sweetening the deal with an advantageous point incentive.”