Decathlon to grant €2,000 in free shares to employees amid wage debate

Wednesday 17 June 2026 - 11:15

French sports retail giant Decathlon has announced a plan to distribute an average of €2,000 in free company shares to a large majority of its global workforce, in a move aimed at strengthening employee participation in the company’s long-term growth.

The initiative will benefit eligible employees across all of Decathlon’s international operations, including staff working in stores, logistics, production, and administrative roles. The company, which employs more than 100,000 people worldwide, said the scheme is designed to reinforce a sense of shared ownership among its workforce.

According to the company, employees must have at least three months of seniority to qualify for the offer and must remain with the company until 2029 in order to fully benefit from the shares. The stock units will be granted free of charge and are expected to be accessible after a three-year vesting period, with their value linked to the company’s performance over time.

Decathlon stated that the plan could significantly expand employee shareholding within the group, increasing the number of worker-shareholders from around 56,000 to as many as 90,000. The company already operates one of the largest employee ownership programs in the retail sector.

The announcement comes shortly after a wave of industrial action in France, where more than 1,000 employees went on strike earlier this month to demand higher wages. The protests followed strong financial results for the company, which reported a notable increase in net profit in 2025.

While management has presented the share distribution as a long-term wealth-building opportunity, labor representatives have criticized the move, arguing that it does not address immediate concerns about purchasing power and rising living costs. Some unions described the initiative as a communication strategy rather than a direct response to wage demands.

Employee representatives have also indicated that further discussions and possible mobilizations could take place in the coming weeks, depending on the outcome of internal negotiations.

Decathlon, part of the Mulliez family business group, operates nearly 2,000 stores worldwide and remains one of the largest sporting goods retailers globally. The company has increasingly promoted employee shareholding as part of its corporate culture, although debates over wages and working conditions continue to shape relations with staff in several markets.

As discussions between management and unions continue, the announcement highlights the broader tension in the retail sector between long-term incentive schemes and short-term wage expectations among employees.