Comment: Asda and Decathlon – desperation or inspiration?

Another day, another alliance. This time it’s Asda and Decathlon. There are going to be Decathlon outposts in Asda stores.

So what’s the similarity? Both are bastions of low price and both purport to be democractic in their approach to customers – they are broad churches as far as shoppers are concerned.

But is there much more to this tie-up than low price and a sense of pragmatism on the part of both retailers?

For Asda it’s that old chestnut: excess space looking for a use. As far as French retailer Decathlon is concerned, it’s a matter of no longer looking to open massive sheds and seeking instead to make the most of what’s readily available.

This means smaller spaces where it can give shoppers a taste of what it’s about while introducing more potential customers to the joys of outdoor wear and sportswear à la Française. 

Once again as far as the supermarket is concerned, it’s hard not to sense an air of mild desperation about what has been done. Yes, it has excess space, what large grocer doesn’t? But would a sports retailer make a natural bedfellow for a purveyor of food in normal circumstances or is this just a needs must get together?

United over utility

Actually, there is much to commend what has been done. Both Asda and Decathlon have distinctive looks and neither of them could readily be described as flashy.

Indeed, there is a utilitarian feel to both that is perfectly in tune with the brands themselves – it would be somewhat harder, albeit not impossible, to see Decathlon sitting quite as comfortably with Sainsbury’s.

In fairness, it’s a deal that Morrisons would probably have loved to sign, but there is much about its current performance that would militate against this being likely, in spite of Morrisons much vaunted low-price credentials.

So how about a few more space-using ideas? What say Ann Summers and Waitrose – maybe something to add spice to the free coffee for cardholders? Or perhaps a mini-Currys PC World in Sainsbury’s (this really could work).

The truth of the matter is that nothing should be counted out and almost anything can work. It’s common sense and more retailers should be thinking along these lines more frequently.  

The other point is that occasionally the supermarkets seem to forget that there are others who are specialists and can do things rather better than they do. These are the partners they should be seeking and Decathlon and Asda working together is a prime example.